A/N- Dear my lovely readers and even lovelier reviewers,

My apologies to all for I know this took way too long. However, know that luckily I am half way done with the next chapter and if everything goes smoothly I plan to have it up hopefully by this weekend or the beginning of next week. As always I will thank the lovely reviewers at the end of the chapter. Without further babbling and ado I present to you the fifth chapter. Enjoy!

Chapter 5

Slytherin Seashells

Hermione and Ginny looked up to see Blaise Zambini standing straight up with perfect posture wearing a serious expression on his face, yet if you looked harder you would see a glimmer of a smirk and mirth dancing in his eyes. Hermione looked between the two and saw that her presence was clearly unwanted and glared at them for a few seconds. Without a word she left them, most likely going to give the news to Ron and Harry.

Blaise sat down silently next to her and for while they just sat looking at the lake and nowhere else. Then without any warning Ginny became brave enough to break the ice. "You should have let me hit her." She spoke up referring back to him holding her back from lunging at Hermione. The older girl would probably never know the danger that running mouth could get her in…

"No," He said thoughtfully, " A fight like that should deserve so much more audience then the so few people out here."

"Still, I would have enjoyed it immensely." Ginny said with a smile.

"I am sure there will be plenty opportunities for you, if she really lacks that much common sense." He hesitated for a bit and then his tone became serious and blunt. "So, Drake came to enquire about your change, aye?"

Ginny looked up, searching for his reasons for asking her side of the story. After giving up, seeing his face was impervious, she cautiously nodded her head.

"Well I need to tell you…Gin" He paused awkwardly as he said her name wondering how she was going to react. "I don't know if you want a friendship out of him."

"What do you mean, I never asked him for a friendship." Ginny declared raising her defenses. "Why does everyone think that?"

"Well, I do believe you said 'Hell I probably will talk to him again because he gave me understanding' or something of that sort. So, I am guessing what you guys talked about would not exactly be categorized as small talk." Blaise said giving her a pointed look that clearly said I am not against you.

"Oh" Ginny said softly realizing what he meant.

"Ok, I am not one to beat around the bush or anything so let me just say this right out: If you do decide to build on whatever you have with Draco…. You are not going to be building anything but destroying your reputation and digging yourself in a hole that you wont be able to get out of."

"What?" Ginny asked confused with all the analogies.

"Look, Slytherins are not the friendly type. We give many things to those who are loyal to us. Acceptance and understanding, to name a few, but we will never and I emphasis never will be buddy-buddy. We are not simplistic nor narrow-minded as many people like to perceive. Draco, obviously went to you because he saw something… all I am saying is you might not want him to see anything out of you because you will be in this, in our own wars and worlds. That is some place you can never get out of." Blaise lectured her.

Ginny did something very unexpected in reaction to him; she smiled. "Well I don't know about you, but I am rather fond of holes."

Blaise gave her a quizzical look and sighed figuring she was never going to take his warnings to heart.

"No seriously, we went to the beach once when I was like ten and while all the kids were around building sand castles and things of that sort, I built pits… caught a lot of seashells that way actually." She said laughing at the memory.

"Are you implying that Slytherins are seashells?" Blaise asked her incredulously.

"That is for you to decide. I mean look I finally changed to who I want to be and I have more Slytherins talking to me in one day then I have had in all of five years." She said mocking him with the irony of the situation. She suddenly burst into laughter at the thought of Slytherins as seashells.

Yet the resemblance was uncanny to the experienced eye of an analysis. Sea shells were hard and sturdy resembling a Slytherin's loyalty. No one ever knows a sea shell's past. No one would ever truly break a sea shell and find their secrets, just like Slytherins. However, people saw Slytherins as what they looked like mysterious and beautiful. If anything could be thought of as a sea shell it would be a Slytherin.

He sighed exasperatedly and stated: "Your clearly off your rocker." Yet a ghost of a smile appeared on his face. "Seashells and Slytherins. You are clearly off your rocker…."

She just laughed harder. He got up to leave and held out his hand to pull her up. She obliged giving him a thankful smile.

His face hardened a little as he saw her smile and he said very seriously: "Careful though, its never easy for a lion when they are wandering around in the snake pit."

Her face hardened too, as she realized the inner meaning in his words. "Thank you, Blaise. I will make sure that I remember that."
"Wonderful, see you around." He said with a charming smile and turned around to head back to the castle.

Ginny watched the lake for a little while longer before taking a deep breath and heading towards the castle herself.

………………………………...

Draco paced around the Slytherin common waiting for his best friend to return. Finally, he sat on the couch running a hand through his hair frustrated, before getting up and beginning to pace again a few minutes later.

A few first year girls giggled at his actions and he gave them a simple glare getting them to leave him be immediately.

After what seemed like an eternity and a half, his friend walked into the common room talking with Theodore Nott a smirk applied to his lips. "Hey mate" Blaise said with a twinkle in his eyes as he continually replayed the conversation that he had with Ginny.

On the way up he looked into every detail in the talk and analyzed the body language she had. It was his natural talent to catch things that most people did not pick up on. His instincts were impeccable.

"What did you think?" Draco asked immediately walking briskly straight towards his best friend in urgency to know the answer.

"About you? Your self-centered, ugly eyes, too pale, too bratty, too bossy, don't got no ass, and even if I did looked into the complex being of Draco Malfoy I don't swing that way, sorry mate. I think Nott might though, try him." Blaise said without missing a beat and receiving a punch in the arm from Nott as he made his way down the stairs to the boys dormitories.

"Ha ha and by all means Zambini why are you looking at my ass especially if you do not swing that way." Draco said sarcastically "And by all means, how long have you been waiting to say that one?"

"Too long." Blaise said a frown appearing on his face. " Probably about two years. By all means I wasn't looking at your ass, I was simply looking for it."

Draco groaned and suddenly realized his friend was trying to trick him. A frown appeared on his face as well.

"So it went that bad." He said looking away. He hated when he had bad decisions on judgment.

Blaise realized that his best friend had caught on to his act and became solemn. He looked around and saw that the common room was basically empty accept for a fourth year asleep by the fire.

He said in a half whisper: "It is not that it went bad… I just really don't know what to say."

"Blaise, I trust your judgement more than anyone. Your instincts… well they're amazing, like a gift. If it is bad just tell me all at once. Just stop stalling." Draco said through his gritted teeth, once again running his hand through his hair.

"Well, okay, I did like you asked; I talked to her. Well, it was easy and weird. She was kind of grateful to me because I got Granger off her back but however on second thought, I think I kind of made things worse for her with them lot. In fact I heard them talking, she's not close to them at all. She accepted me easily and opened up for the most part. She really is not very judging of people at all…" Blaise trailed off, inwardly trying to decide what to tell Draco.

"And…." Draco pressed hoping that Blaise would not stop. "What do you think?"

"Well, I think she is okay. She is no fake that is for sure, she is quite comfortable with how she is now. She seems happier. Honestly, I do not think that hanging around her would be bad but…" Blaise said uneasily.

"But? But What?" Draco asked in alarm and regret.

"Oh heck with my instincts, this once, Drake. She's been trying to be accepted by that godforsaken trio all this time. Sure she's pretty cool but if she hangs out with you and me, well they are sure to go rescue her and what if she goes with them. Do you really want that rejection displayed in front of the whole school because, I sure as hell don't! Were Slytherins and proud and the fact of the matter is she has wanted to be apart of that trio all her life, she probably will turn us down for them." Blaise said voicing his concern in the matter.

"Oh" Draco said his face looking slightly crestfallen of the situation but that quickly disappeared.

"You know what let me talk to her a while longer, let me see. It's obvious that you like her." Blaise said hastily seeing his friends disappointment.

"No, your right, I will make sure… I will make sure she knows there's nothing here." Draco said his voice solidifying as he talked and his eyes glazing over.

"Ok, mate but that's your decision." Blaise said uneasily.

"Yeah, I am going to the owlery, I will be back though." Draco said distantly.

"Alright, see you around then." Blaise said plopping on to the overly large sofa to rest. Whatever his mate had to work out, he needed to work out by himself.

…………

A.N- So, did you like? I know Draco sounds different but honestly I think that after you know your best mate for so long that is really the only person who actually knows who you are. Oh well that's just my theory. Yes, next chapter Draco's going to be an ass but good news Ginny is still a Weasely and she won't take that shit. Well that's all I am saying for now but until next time. Here's to you my faithful reviewers:

jjp91- Good guess... okay I know it was obvious but still your the only one so good guess! Thanks for reviewing.

Alexandria J. Malfoy- Glad you thought my chapter was funky! Keep on reading! Thanks for reviewing.'

Phantom Witch- Your fic is good. No worries, thanks for reviewing mine. As an author you know how hard it is to get reviews. Keep reading.

My sister- Thanks for reading. Merry Chrismakwanzikah. Hope you enjoyed this one. Lots of love.

Silversmile-Do you like? I hope you enjoyed who it was! Thank you so much for reviewing!

Tatum- Thanks, you were actually the one who inspired me to get off my ass and update. Thanks for reviewing, this fic really owes this chapter to you.

Well thank you to all my other loveley reviewers and readers and look forward to the next chapter!

Love,

Your favorite banjoist