Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Laura – The eyes I imagine are pretty confusing but aren't really a mystery, I'll leave you guys to hypothesize about why for at least a while.

High Serpent King – Thanks a lot, I'll change the chapter title if I ever get around to it.

Brittney – Good stuff.

Dancerrdw – Thanks!

Jdcrmn – Well you know I've had my share of magical fights and all, so I suppose I know just how to describe it…(Actually I'm pretty non-confrontational and avoid fights at all costs but I do enjoy writing them!)

Brigade701 – Ah…well that's slightly embarrassing. My mistake, that should be corrected soon, for what it's worth.

Emily – Draco and Ginny, eh? How do you think that'll work out, then?

Chapter 40 – Weasley and Malfoy

"Who are you?"

"My name? Tom Riddle."

Six weeks earlier…

Ginny looked sideways at the blonde Slytherin motionless beside her. Ginny had certainly felt her share of pain and seen some pretty creepy stuff (albeit not near as much as Ron, Harry, or Hermione) but for outright gruesomeness Draco's original condition was almost unmatched. Most of the damage consisted of nasty bruises from huge hulk fists, however, there was the odd spell or cut along his arms, his legs, his face. Madam Pomfrey had stitched him up quite nicely, and he looked almost normal, barring the odd bruise. However whenever he woke up, his expressions and actions betrayed the actual pain he was feeling – he was clearly sore and stiff, every individual move accompanied by an intense ache. Malfoy had spent the past two days mostly sleeping or trying to, and his waking moments were largely spent resting. Even his sleep was restless, however, Malfoy occasionally tossed and turned and the pain that happened with the same movement would wake him up.

Ginny sighed as she looked at Malfoy carefully again. Well she and Malfoy had always existed in a state of mutual dislike, particularly because of the intense rival between Ron and Draco, few and far between were the instances of actual contact. That's why their conversation before had been such a shock – a conversation she had initiated, she realized abruptly. Asking the time wasn't particularly a crime, but asking about his hair? What was I thinking?

As Ginny stole another glance at the (mostly) inert figure beside her, her answer came abruptly, and she immediately came to an answer, and felt somewhat ashamed for it. So what if he's good looking? Doesn't mean he's a good person. Don't you remember that time in first year he made fun of you in the book-shop? Ginny still felt unnerved by another aspect of the conversation, however. It was that while it certainly couldn't be described as the friendliest, it was far from mean in any way. Draco had acted distinctly different. If she had asked him for the time a year or two ago, she had no doubt there would be no way that the answer would just be an insult.

And finally, she thought about the thing that was annoying her most. A Slytherin gang had beaten Draco up, and not just any Slytherin gang. This one was apparently headed by Crabbe and Goyle, basically Malfoy's cronies. Ginny knew that the fight wasn't some kind of political revolt against Malfoy's reign of terror of the Slytherin House, Crabbe and Goyle simply weren't smart enough for it. No, something had to have provoked it explicitly. But what was it? Did she have anything to do with it? She thought she had seen Crabbe and Goyle around when she and Malfoy were talking…

But that was ridiculous. She had initiated the conversation, and if anyone had acted unlike themselves, it was resoundingly her, what with asking him for the time and then giving him fashion advice about her hair.

Ginny, restless, buried her face in her pillow. She didn't even know why she was thinking about this so much, but she was. In fact, ever since the conversation had occurred, even before Draco had been brought into the Hospital Wing, she had been endlessly thinking about him. Two restless nights and days, spent thinking about Malfoy, possibly the most loathsome person in the school. Ginny resolved to get some sleep and shut her eyes, but it was to no avail, and she laid like that for four more hours before finally falling into a sleep constantly pierced by nightmares…

Six days later, in the morning…

Draco woke up feeling the best he ever had since the vicious fight had occurred. He had recovered, according to Pomfrey, "at a remarkable rate," and should be released today. Which is lucky, since school starts up again tomorrow. Enough people – in fact, the vast majority – had now been released from the Wing to allow the recommencement of school. Except for Potions, and a few N.E.W.T. classes which still didn't have enough people because the classes were generally so small anyway.

Madam Pomfrey bustled over, as usual, feeding him his potions. She checked the bandages, his temperature, checked for any remainder of internal bleeding.

"Well," she said. "You may not be in tip-top shape, and you certainly shouldn't be playing any Quidditch for a week, but after that you'll be just fine!"

"Thanks," he whispered softly and he got up, stretching. He was no longer sore except in the right shoulder, which had gone through a nasty dislocation, and his chins, which had both endured several nasty kicks. Other than that, though, he was feeling fresh and great, and he enjoyed the use of his legs that had been denied him for a week. After a few deep breaths, he felt ready to leave, and did so, noticing unconsciously that the bed usually filled with a certain red-headed occupant seemed to be empty. Not paying it any mind, he left, limping slightly in the direction of the Great Hall. There was probably still some breakfast left in there. He reached a side entrance and peeked his head around, checking for any Slytherins. Not that he was afraid. Or anything. Luckily for Draco, almost everyone had already eaten, barring the odd Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw and a single Gryffindor, and so he dug into his breakfast voraciously, eating enough food that would normally sustain him for a few days, but he had eaten very sparingly while in the Hospital Wing. Just making up for it.

Finally satisfied after a while, Draco contemplated what would be in his best interests at the moment. Uncharacteristically, he didn't really feel like planning out Quidditch strategies, and he couldn't do what he would most like to do at the moment – fly, so he chose instead to stretch his legs again and go for a walk on the grounds. He quickly summoned some clothes that would suit the colder outside weather better (it was winter, after all), and went out towards the scenic Hogwarts grounds, blanketed in fresh snow (as was always the case at this time of year). A couple of Gryffindors were ice-skating on the pond, and the odd person was walking around. There was a wild snowball-fight occurring between a group of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, huge batches of snow bewitched and flying haphazardly around. And also, Draco couldn't help but notice a smallish figure walking aimlessly around a tree, with waves of red hair cascading down from under a hat.

Draco sighed. Ginny had been predominant in his thoughts – when he was awake, that was – ever since he had been bed-ridden. Why had she asked him about the time? Even weirder, why did she ask him about his hair? Perhaps weirdest of all was how he had unconsciously, as he realized now, taken her advice, and was now wearing his hair gel-free. Certainly a new look for someone who had worn his hair exactly the same for as long as he could remember.

Draco's eyes suddenly narrowed down on a heavy-set figure he could recognize anywhere that seemed to be approaching Ginny at a fast pace. Or at least, about as fast as Crabbe could usually bother to walk. Feeling slightly apprehensive and not exactly sure what he was intending on doing, he approached the spot where it appeared the two would converge, stealing around out-of-sight so neither would notice him – at least for the time being.

Ginny pointlessly paced around the tree again. Nothing better to do. Hermione, oddly enough, wasn't anywhere in sight, Harry was ice-skating with Parvati and Ginny had feigned inability to do so because of her injuries (well, they might have seen through it, but Ginny had the suspicion they didn't care anyway), there was no news of Ron that had been given to her yet, and most of her friends in her year were reuniting with their respective (boy)friends in their house. And, although she felt somewhat guilty for it, she didn't feel like seeing Dean. It was stupid really – she had been dating Dean for months and had been very happy about it, but all of a sudden, something had happened…

Suddenly, a heavy plodding footstep behind her was heard. Ginny turned around, and found herself facing none other than Crabbe.

"What are you here for?" she started venomously. Crabbe was just as mindless as his counterpart, Goyle, and it was awfully strange to see him off of Malfoy's leash. Then again, she reminded herself, Goyle and him were the ones that organized the fight in the first place.

"What, Weasley? Where's your boyfriend?" Crabbe laughed menacingly and approached her. Ginny's hand scrambled for her wand, before she realized, panicked that she didn't have it. It was in her dormitory, all the way up at Gryffindor Tower.

"Dean's quite fine, thank you," Ginny said coldly, stepping back away from Crabbe. Ginny didn't want to run, but she was well aware that her other options weren't exactly favorable. Right now, the best one was probably just trying to get him to go away. It wasn't working too well.

"Wasn't talking about that one, Weasley," Crabbe shook his head to emphasize and advanced again, his hand reaching slowly for his wand. "Didn't even think Malfoy would stoop so low…" Crabbe mumbled.

Ginny was aghast, realizing abruptly that she was the reason they had beaten up Malfoy. Waves of guilt stole over her, in spite of her hatred for Malfoy. Worse still was the realization that Malfoy probably had no idea why they had done it in the first place. Ginny moved back away from him again.

"Malfoy's not my boyfriend," Ginny said definitively. "And never will be."

Crabbe shook his head vehemently. "It's only a matter of time." He finally brought his wand out. "We'll see how Malfoy likes it when I hurt you!" It was here that Ginny noticed that Crabbe was walking with a defined stiffness. Obviously he had been the victim of quite a few of Malfoy's curses in the fight, but was too ashamed to admit it (a one on ten fight, after all) and go to the Infirmary. Ginny smirked inwardly – or at least she meant to.

"Smiling, eh?" Crabbe grunted, outrage clearly expressed. He raised his wand and his mouth started moving – until another voice suddenly cut in.

"Put the wand down."

Crabbe's face contorted violently.

"Put the wand down," Malfoy commanded more clearly this time, emphasizing to an even greater extent. Crabbe reluctantly lowered his wand from pointing at Ginny's chest.

"Was wondering when you would be around here to protect your girlfriend, Malfoy," Crabbe spat.

"You heard her. She's not my girlfriend. Get out of here."

Crabbe looked defiantly at Malfoy before finally leaving, trudging back towards Hogwarts.

Leaving both Malfoy and Ginny in a particularly awkward position.

"Look – well, uh – thanks," Ginny fumbled around her words. This wasn't exactly an easy situation.

"Don't worry about it," Malfoy said shortly before starting to walk away. Ginny stopped him this time, though.

"Look – uh…I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"I know they beat you up because of me."

A long silence ensued, Malfoy carefully thinking about what to say.

"No – they were just looking for an excuse."

Ginny stayed silent for a moment again. "Well – I'm sorry anyway."

"Yeah – thanks." Malfoy left with that and started to limp aimlessly away, leaving both of them to their thoughts.

Yards and yards away, a very confused Harry Potter puzzled over these recent proceedings.

That's right, an entire chapter solely about Draco and Ginny (a lengthy one at that), having nothing to say about Tom or Ron! You guys are gonna hate me for this. Big chapter 40 – this has come a long way, eh? Thanks for sticking with it so long!