Chapter Twelve:

(A/N. Well I finally was able to update. I can't believe I didn't have electricity for FIVE days! This is very bad! Well anyway the sequel to Tale as Old as Time is finally up so go check that out! Read and Review!)

Feeling better, Draco sauntered down to the dungeons and ran smack into the person he was trying to avoid. Virginia Weasley.

"You!" He exclaimed as soon as he saw who it was. She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, me."

"What are you doing here?" Draco demanded, his eyes narrowing sharply in suspicion.

"I had to finish a project for Potions and I just got out." Ginny answered glaring at him.

"Well…watch where you are going next time." Draco retorted not knowing what to say.

"What? You were the one that ran into me!" She cried incredulously. Draco felt his anger coiling ready to explode.

"Well maybe I wouldn't have run into you if you'd moved out of the way!" Draco cried his voice rising.

"I'm not one of your servants, Malfoy! You can't tell me what to do." She screamed furiously.

"I can do whatever bloody hell I want to!"

"How dare you? You arrogant pillock!"

"Stay the hell away from me next time, so I don't have to see your ugly face." Draco shouted, knowing that in all his years only this redhead had managed to make him loose his immaculate control.

"Shut up! Just shut up!" She cried raising her hands protectively as he move toward her.

"Don't tell me to shut up!" He snapped back indignantly, their angry shouts echoing in the dungeon hall.

"Then don't tell me what to do!"

"You know what, Weasley? Go back to you're Muggle-loving friends!" Draco taunted loudly, pointing toward the stairs that led out of the dungeons.

"I don't have any friends!"

"Well, neither do I!" He yelled back and then froze as he realized what he had said, dropping his arms to his side and taking a step back. The sudden silence hung heavy as they both stared at each other, panting heavily. He could see in Virginia's eyes compassion and fury warring with each other. Draco sighed and looked away. "You'd better leave, Virginia." He said quietly, the malice gone from his voice. Her soft footsteps announced her silent departure. Draco stood there a long time before walking away.

Her footsteps were slow and deliberate, trying futilely to retain her calm. Ginny sighed as she reached the portrait and walked inside. Ginny Weasley liked it when her life made sense. Even when everyone had ignored her, it had made sense. Draco was an enigma that Ginny simply could not solve. A thousand words could not accurately describe him, he was just too…Ginny pouted, words failed her. She sat down on her bed and stared down at her hands blankly. It was true that she had no friends, but Draco? Draco was constantly the talk of everyone, and what about his two goons? Ginny groaned, her head pounding painfully. She hated having to think so much. She pulled out a book from her bag and tried to concentrate on the story, but all she could think about was his eyes shining with pain and anger. Then she froze. This must have been the first time she had seen emotion in his eyes. Usually they were like ice; cold, unforgiving and devoid of anything. Could that pain have been a lie as complex as his words? She sighed, her thoughts chasing each other around in her head. There was a knock on the door, and Ginny looked up tossing her book to the side.

"Come in." She called, wincing at the weakness in her voice. The door opened and Hermione walked in.

"Ginny, can we talk?" She asked curtly as she stepped in. Ginny frowned at her brother's best friend.

"Sure, and it's Virginia now." Ginny corrected. Hermione nodded and sat down on Melissa's bed.

"Look, Ginny…"

"Virginia."

"See! That's the problem!" Hermione burst out defensively. Ginny winced at the loudness of her voice on her throbbing headache. "You've changed yourself…" Hermione reprimanded. Ginny sighed, too tired to fight back.

"Look Hermione, I'm not feeling well. Can we talk some other time?" Ginny cut in quickly. Hermione's lips thinned and she stood up stiffly.

"Fine." She snapped and walked out. Ginny glanced down at her pillow. With a half smile she changed into her pyjamas and crawled into her bed, closing the curtains behind her. She snuggled into the covers and promptly fell asleep.

The next morning Draco was awake before anybody else. He stared into the green flames of the fire in the Slytherin common room. He stayed there a long time, until sounds of people rising upstairs reached his ears. He already decided what he would do. He stood up and walked up to the Great Hall, standing in the shadows and watching the people go by. Finally, he saw who he had been waiting for, walking by herself. He sauntered forward and caught her wrist. Virginia Weasley turned and looked at him questioningly. He cocked his head to the side and she followed him away from the flow of people going to breakfast.

"I'm…I'm sorry." He said. Her face betrayed her surprise and shock at his softly spoken statement.

"For what?"

"For…" Draco began and then closed his eyes and bowed his head. "You were…" He cursed himself for not being able to admit he was wrong. "You were right." He completed finally. If possible, she looked even more shocked, then she smiled and in some part deep inside of him, Draco smiled back.

"We both said things…Let's forget about it." She answered. He nodded, released her wrist and walked away, pushing away the insane urge to grin.