Chapter Twenty-Two:

(A/N. Man it's getting COLD! Well hope you guys had a wonderful thanksgiving! Enjoy this pumpkin…I mean chapter!)

A sigh escaped Draco's pale lips as he sat up early the next morning. He reached over and pushed the hangings open and stood up. Unlike some people who still looked asleep two minutes after having woke, Draco always managed to look as though he had already been awake for several hours. Even when he felt like something, that someone had scraped off the bottom of their shoe. He quickly pulled off the clothes from yesterday that he had fallen asleep in and grabbed some clean clothes. He went to the bathroom to shower then dress. When he came out a few minutes later, he was impeccable as always. He descended the stairs to the Slytherin common room and sank into one of the couches. A small hand on his shoulder made him growl as he glared up at the owner. Draco had expected to find Pansy smiling down at him, fluttering her eyes flirtatiously. Instead, he found himself looking into a pair of bright green eyes.

"Zambini." Draco said with a nod. She smiled and sat down on the couch beside him, placing her hand on his thigh.

"Hello, Malfoy." She said huskily. He glared at her and tossed her hand back into her lap. She gave a deep throated chuckle.

"So, still thinking about the Weasley girl." She said and Draco scowled his eyes flashing.

"I'd appreciate it if you said sod all about Virginia bloody Weasley." He snarled standing up.

"Alright, Malfoy." She laughed. Draco turned and stalked away wishing that everybody would leave him alone.

Sitting cross-legged on the bed's delicious mattress, Ginny brushed her dark red hair and tried not to think about the events of the night before. She pulled her silky hair back into a pony tail and stood up. Her hair had grown much faster than Ginny had thought it would and it now reached past her shoulders. She grabbed her book bag off the floor and went down to the common room. She ducked past anyone that might want to talk to her and walked out the portrait hole. The halls were cold and Ginny shivered under her cloak. Her shoulders were sagged and her chin down when she walked into the Great Hall and took a seat as far from the rest of her house as possible. She picked at her food aimlessly then let her eyes rise and stared across the hall. Draco Malfoy was always a sight for sore eyes; with his fair complexion, soft skin, that had no beard shadow in sight, and his aristocratic features. Yet most didn't see past his good looks. They didn't see the dispassionate mask thrown over a storm that raged within. They accepted the mask and that was all they would ever see. They wouldn't want to see the emotions in the silver orbs he called eyes, it would make him too human. Something he and everybody at Hogwarts could not accept. Ginny dropped her eyes again and stared into her pumpkin juice. She had spent most of the night before lying awake desperately wondering what she could have done in another way to make him stay. He had been kind and she had returned the kindness with harsh words that he didn't deserve. She knew why she had done it. She had tried to take out her sorrow and pain on someone who wouldn't stare at her with kicked-puppy eyes. Someone who could rally with her until she tired, effectively distinguishing her anger and pain. Yet these reasons had not led her to a solution. The goblet raised to her lips and she took a long swallow. Her mind swirled and Ginny sighed as she found herself lost in confusion. She pulled her eyes away from her golden plate and looked up at the windows high above.

"Oh will someone please help me." She whispered not knowing to whom she prayed or for what she prayed. She only knew that she couldn't let Draco go. She let out a small bitter laugh as she thought of what her brother's friends would say if they knew she grieved most for her lost friendship with Draco, and not them. They would think she had lost her mind. Then again, they had never understood her. Never wanted to understand her. Well she would get back the only person that had ever understood her. Even if she had to beg. From across the hall she saw him stand up and walk out the large doors that led into the Great Hall. She rose and followed him out.

Unwilling to stand the suggestive glances from Pansy and the infuriating, knowing looks from Blaise, Draco had stalked away from the Great Hall in a fury. He heard the footsteps behind him, following him quickly. With a sneer, Draco sped up, heading up a staircase swiftly, and then twisting down a corridor. The footsteps didn't stop, they merely quickened. With a heavy sigh of exasperation Draco stopped and turned, waiting for the person to reach him. He was surprised at the person who turned the corner and stopped in front of him looking flustered.

 "Weasley." Draco scoffed. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you." The redhead answered. Draco rolled his eyes as he leaned against a wall.

"Really, Weasley? And why would you be looking for me?" He sneered. She walked closer to him.

"We need to talk." She said softly and he sensed the vulnerability in her voice and he revelled in it. Intending to use it to his advantage.

"Oh? And what might you be wanting to talk about? The weather? Your problems with Potty?" He said shaking his head and smiling scornfully as if she was a small child who could never understand her own feelings. He saw her stiffen and raise her chin.

"No, we need to talk about last night." She said firmly. Draco pushed himself off the wall and stood in front of her, towering over her small frame.

"What about last night, Weasley?" He growled, his voice a soft warning that would sent most people scurrying away.

"About what I said." She said. Draco sighed inwardly; he shouldn't have forgotten that Virginia Weasley wasn't 'most people'.

"What do you want, Weasley? Come to see how the wounds are healing? Wondering if I limped back to my dorm to lick the cuts? Forget it, Weasley. Leave me the bloody hell alone." He hissed. She stared up at him defiantly.

"I came to say something." She said firmly. He raised and eyebrow and crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"Well? Out with it." He snapped when she didn't say anything for a long time. Her eyes softened and she looked down.

"I…I'm sorry, Draco. I didn't mean it, not any of it. I was mad and…I'm sorry." She whispered. Draco took a step back. He hadn't expected that. She looked up at him and her eyes begged for forgiveness, showing him what her words never could. Her face was like an open book. He turned away.

"Look, Weasley…" He began but she cut him off as she placed he hand on his forearm and squeezed it gently.

"Don't say anything, please. Just think about it. If you can't forgive me, you don't have to talk to me ever again." She said and turned away. She took two steps before Draco placed his hand on her shoulder and turned her around. He tried to force out some words to express that he understood, and forgave her. Although he was sure he hadn't been expressing any emotion, Virginia seemed to read his emotions and nodded in understanding, a bright smile appearing on her face. "Thank you." She said and walked away. Draco stared after her for a long time before the corner of his lips tugged upward in a small, hesitant smile.

The smile on her face increased as she walked away before fading as she spotted Colin Creevey up ahead. She slowed, worrying her lip as she thought of what to say. As she reached him, she stretched out a hand and gently touched his shoulder. He turned away from the Ravenclaw he was talking to and frowned at her.

"What's the matter, Ginny?" He asked. Ginny glanced around and tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Can I talk to you?" She said and inclined her head to the side. Colin turned back to the girl and told he he'd be back in a second before turning and following Ginny to a secluded spot.

"Look, Colin. I'm glad that you worry about me, it's just…" She began but she didn't get the chance to finish.

"You don't need anymore brothers telling you how to rule your life." He said, understanding in his voice. "It's alright, Gin. Don't worry about it. Let's just forget it."

"You're the best brother I have though." Ginny said as Colin stated to walk away. He half turned back to her.

"Thanks, Gin. I hope I stay that way." He smiled then walked back to the Ravenclaw. Feeling much better and very satisfied, Ginny walked away.