Chapter Sixteen:

(A/N. How is everyone doing? I am super happy because I have gotten a lot of reviews lately! YEAH! KEEP IT UP! Anyways, this is the sixteenth chapter…duh…so enjoy and REVIEW!)

Walking toward the Slytherin common room, Draco could only think about the youngest Weasley. Why was he being nice to her? He sighed and kicked a loose stone away from him. His acute hearing picked up the sound of footsteps coming from behind him. He kept walking, not changing his pace or giving any sign that he had heard his follower. He heard the person draw closer and heard the swish of robes as the person to a swing at him. Draco dodged out of the way at the last second and turned to see who it was.

"What's your problem, Weasley?" Draco sneered, staring at the fuming redhead before him.

"Stay the bloody hell away from my sister!"

"No, thanks I'm alright." Draco taunted knowing that it was dangerous to enrage a Weasley but not caring.

"I'm not asking you, I'm telling you." Ron growled coming closer, his face as red as his hair.

"Or what, Weasley? You going to attack me her in the hallway?" Draco continued enjoying the ease in which Ron lost his temper.

"Maybe."

"For what?" Draco asked and Ron shot him a confused look. "Don't be dim, Weasley. I said why are you attacking me."

"Because you are using my sister to get to Harry, Hermione and me."

"And I." Draco corrected automatically, not even realizing he had just said it. Ron shook his head in bewilderment."

"What?"

"Never mind." Draco said. "Look, I'm not using your sister to get to anyone, alright? She asked me for help in Transfigurations, and I think you should let Ginny fight her own battles."

"You're lying. Why didn't she ask Hermione then?" Ron demanded. "And she has no battles with anyone!" Draco pleaded to gods he didn't believe in to grant him patience.

"Because she does have battles and one of them is with Hermione!" Draco said sharply. "God, why are you such an overprotective prick?"

"I wouldn't expect you to understand, you spoiled brat." Ron said. "Not until you have someone you care about. Now stay away from Ginny."

"It's Virginia." Draco said quietly. Ron glared at him and then brought up his fist and slammed it into Draco's face. It hit his cheekbone and Draco winced. He had always been taught to hide his emotions, even pain. Draco returned the punch, catching Ron in the eye. Then he followed the punch with a knee to the groin. Ron howled in pain and fell to the floor.

"Bloody hell!"

"Look, Weasley. Virginia can take care of herself, so let her live her own life. Got it? Stay away from me while you're at it." Draco shot out and started to walk away but he stopped. "Oh, and just because I was lucky enough to be an only child doesn't mean I don't have anyone I care about."

When Ginny awoke on Saturday morning, she found that her anger had dulled somewhat with sleep. When she went down to the common room, half an hour later, she saw a small cluster of people crowding around one of the couches. Her curiosity won over her current animosity toward most of the Gryffindors and she walked over.

"Oh my god! What happened, Ron?" Ginny cried. Her brother was holding a packet of ice to his eye and she could see that his lip was cracked and bruised.

"You're tutoring buddy attacked him." Hermione said fiercely gently patting Ron's shoulder.

"My…"Ginny repeated in confusion then she realized who they were talking about. "Why?"

"I don't know, ask him." Ron said his voice unclear because of his lip. Ginny wasn't listening, her mind was working quickly piecing together the information she had.

"When did this happen?" She asked and her brother's eyes flicked away from her and toward the fireplace.

"Last night." He mumbled. Ginny's brown eyes narrowed sharply as she walked closer to the sofa.

"Oh, I see. So after you spy on me, you go and beat up my tutor. You know, the sole person who is helping me pass Transfiguration. Let me make a guess, your words were somewhere along the lines of 'Stay away from my sister', that sound about right?" Ginny said her voice rising steadily as her temper flared. "Of course, Draco didn't like being told what to do so you started a fight to prove your point. I don't know how Draco fared in this, but you got what you deserved."

"So it's Draco now?" Ron said angrily, struggling to stand up from the couch. Ginny's eyes flashed.

"Yeah, it's Draco now." She said and stormed out of the common room. She skipped breakfast and went out to the Quidditch pitch where they would be holding trials in an hour. She sat down on the dewy grass, resting her head on her knees. She realized she had just defended Draco in front of the whole Gryffindor house and she wondered why. She hated him…didn't she? She sighed and picked at the grass beside her.

"Those sound like some pensive sighs, little Weasley. Why so sad?" A drawling voice said. Ginny glanced back and recognized Draco's confident swagger coming from the shadows.

"Hello, Mal…Oh! Your face. Look what he did to your face…" She said, seeing the huge bruise on his face. She knew it had been her brother who had done it.

"It's worse than it looks, doesn't even hurt now." He assured her. She stood up and went over to where he stood. Gently she touched the dark spot and he winced.

"Doesn't even hurt now?" She repeated, crossing her arms in front of her chest, and he shrugged carelessly.

"I lied."

"I'm sorry that my brother…" She trailed off. He shook his head firmly and he began walking, she falling into step with him.

"Don't worry about it." He said, then he smirked. "Plus, I'll still be pretty."

"Sure, Malfoy." She scoffed, but inside she had to agree. The bruise would heal and he would still be as handsome as ever. "So, what are you doing here?" She asked after a while.

"I saw you walking down here and I thought I'd come out and flaunt my manly wounds."

"Well, if this is a contest of manly wounds, I have to say my brother beat you." She laughed and he smirked again.

"I did beat him up badly didn't I?" He said, no sign of regret in his smooth, cultured voice. "Horribly sorry." He added insincerely.

"No your not." She pointed out.

"Too true."

"You did thrash him badly." She agreed finally. "He was whining to everyone that would listen about how the 'Big Bad' Malfoy came and trounced him in the dead of the night. That is, until I pulled the real story out of him." He raised an eyebrow.

"Big Bad Malfoy? I think I'll have to thank him for improving my image. It's so hard to be feared these days." He said and she laughed. He looked over her shoulder and shook his head. "Uh-oh, looks like the nesh wimp troop is here. I'll be going, then. Don't want a bruise to match this one." He said and sauntered away. Ginny laughed as she watched him go. Then she turned and walked toward the Gryffindor Quidditch team.

"All right, anyone whose trying out today go to the left side of the pitch!" Harry was shouting, he caught sight of her and walked over.

"Look, Gin…about earlier…" He began but Ginny shook her head, not letting him finish the apology that wasn't his to give.

"Don't Harry. I'm here to try out, not digging for apologies from my brother that he can't give me himself." She said resolutely. Harry nodded, seeming relieved not to have the duty of peace maker on his shoulder any longer.

"Alright then, go stand over there." He said and she walked away, joining the rest if the people her for the trials. An hour later, it was finally her turn to try out. Someone tossed her a quaffle and she flew up into the air. She weaved around the defender with practiced ease then tossed the ball as hard as she could, smiling when it passed through the hoop. She heard a heartfelt cheer and looked down to see Colin waving madly, his camera clicking frantically. She laughed and floated down. The Gryffindor team was looking at her with newfound respect.

"Congratulations, Ginny. You're in." Harry said with a bright grin, patting her shoulder proudly.

"Brill! What am I playing?" She asked, smiling back as excitement filled her small, slender body.

"Chaser."