A few days passed, and Ginny noticed that Draco had begun to show up to meals more and more. His mother had been transferred to Grimmauld Place, but that was the last she'd heard anything. She wanted to go over and make sure he was ok, but a Gryffindor at the Slyherin table - a Weasley willingly interacting with a Malfoy - was unheard of.
She wasn't very hungry that morning at breakfast, so instead of eating she went out to fly. She didn't have too much time before her classes, but being a sixth year, had much less class and much more homework. As she walked onto the pitch, she mounted her broom and flew off. She loved the freedom of the sky, and even though her evenings had been full of quidditch practices, she couldn't get enough of flying anymore. The past year had taken its toll on the younest Weasley. She was sick and tired of being treated like a child and excluded - but isn't every sixteen year old?
Flying around in the sky gave her the freedom she wish she had from her family, and sometimes she would just close her eyes and fly up, so that she could fall for a few seconds just to pick herself back up again. The third or fourth time she did this, when she opened her eyes during her descent, she saw a flash of green out of the corner of her eye. She pulled up and flew over to see none other than Draco Malfoy standing at the edge of the pitch, just watching her.
"Having fun Weasley?" He maliciously smirked at her, "Is this Gryffindor's new strategy? Because it's a pretty pathetic one." She rolled her eyes at him,
"I don't really want to talk right now, especially not to you." She sneered.
"I'm hurt," Draco pretended to be offended, "and I was really hoping we could have a meaningful conversation..." he said, still pretending.
"You know, what, Malfoy? There are other things going on in the world besides you. There are other people, and other events that do not involve you. I would really appreciate a little courtesy, you self-centered git." she snapped.
"What's got you all worked up?" he asked, shocked at the way she'd just spoken to him.
"Nothing, it's just that one good deed doesn't make you my friend, and it doesn't mean I have to talk to you. I tried once, and you basically blew me off. I tried to be nice, and give you a chance, and you haven't changed one bit, have you?"
"Whoa, what's with the personal attacks? What the hell's gotten into you?" A look of concern flashed across his face - one he hid as soon as he felt it, but not quick enough that Ginny didn't notice.
"Nothing's gotten into me, I just...like to be alone sometimes, and I don't like it when people - you - make fun of me."
"You? Like to be alone? How is that possible? There's like...a million people in your family, I'd think you of all people would like...people." Could this possibly be true? Was Ginny Weasley really about to have a serious conversation with Draco Malfoy? After all the things he'd done and said, to both her and her friends. But Ginny really needed someone to talk to...someone new. She loved Hermoine like a sister, but knew Hermoine would never really understand what happened between her and Harry. Or anything else, for that matter. She loved Hermoine, but they were complete opposites.
"That's exactly why I like to be alone." She said dryly, and Draco laughed. not a mean laugh, though, like she'd expected. A sort of, sympathetic. yeah-that-makes-sense, sort of laugh.
Without even realizing what they were doing, they began to walk around the pitch, then the lake, and by the woods. They talked the whole time. Ginny explained about her family's obsession with keeping her from knowing anything, and Draco lent an ear to her for the morning. It was unbelieveable. Draco Malfoy actually...listened. Like he cared. Eventually the thoughts got to Ginny.
"Why are you listening to me? All I'm doing is complaining, and all you're doing is comforting me. I'm a blood-traitor, remember? A no good, muggle-loving, blood traitor. Why are you even risking being seen with me?" Her words and accusations were so sudden they surprised Draco, and he stopped by a tree at the waterside.
"I don't know." he said blankly.
"I don't know? Thanks, Malfoy, you just made me feel loads better. Sorry for wasting your time." She said flatly as she hurried away ready to cry.
"Hey, Ginny - where are you going?" he ran after her and (being so much bigger with longer legs) caught up with her, then placed himself in front of her, forcing her to talk to him. Or at least face him.
"Seriously - where are you going?"
"i don't know. Maybe just back to the common room to study. Maybe to write in my diary, maybe to fly some more...just away from here." She couldn't help it, a tear escaped her eye. Draco now was more confused than ever. He wanted to be nice to her, it was just...awkward and new to him.
"Why away? I thought things were going fine. Look, I know we havent always been the best of friends," she gave him an icy, questioning glare that said 'no, we've NEVER been friends, AT ALL', "Ok, ok. So we've never been friends at all and this is weird for me, too."
"You're not the one who just divulged her life story and all her problems," Ginny snapped.
"but I am the one who just spent an hour an a half walking around with you, listening to you." he said, trying to get back into her good graces. "Look, you're the only one of your clan-" that word struck Ginny and her face snapped towards Draco,
"I am not like them." She simply stated, and looking even more surprised, he replied,
"I know." they stood in silence for a moment and Ginny couldn't help it, he looked so compassionate, and she was so tired. She sat down on the ground by a tree. To her utter shock, Draco sat down next to her. "Look, I know what it's like not to be included,"
"Oh please, Draco, don't even give me that crap. you're the leader of your gang - you're the one who does the excluding."
"Not now I don't. Have you seen me with any of those losers lately? Your stupid friends are the ones who get to decide who's in and who's out. Currently I'm stuck in the small gray area in between the two sides, but instead of making a final decision about my loyalties, they're sitting in there ignoring me!"
"I didn't think you cared about what they thought."
"Please. I don't." he said angrily, as he looked up at the sky, "It would just be nice to...I don't know. Have someone. Be a part of something. Not be so alone." He sounded as though he really longed for friends, and Ginny almost offered to switch lives with him, but thought better of it.
"I'll be your friend," she said kindly. he looked at her like she was crazy.
"That's the corniest thing I've ever heard." He smirked, and it made her laugh.
"It was, wasn't it?" She laughed at his smirk, and at herself. It was the first time she'd laughed at herslef in awhile.
"That's the first time I've seen you smile all week." She looked at him, bewildered. Why would Draco Malfoy notice something silly like that?
"Oh? And how many times before now have you seen me this week?" It was a challenge, and he knew it. They didn't have classes together, and they didn't speak at meals or in the halls, so how often did he take the time to notice her? He laughed this off, but looked down at his feet, and too low for Ginny to hear, he said, "plenty."
They sat under that tree for a long time. Hidden from view of the school and their friends, they sat there joking, laughing, and eventually got into more serious conversation. They talked about Ginny's family, and Draco's borken family. They talked about Harry Potter, and both agreed he was way too annoying to take in large doses. They talked about her brothers, quidditch - everything under the sun. Finally, the conversation died down a little. They looked out over the water and just sat together, enjoying each other's company. She wasn't sure of his intentions, but he seemed to be sincere in the thing he said, what he meant. He seemed to really want to have friends, to have her as a friend.
Eventually they realized how late it was getting, and Ginny had to run off to her Care of Magical Creatures class.
"Why do you take that? That oaf's as good a teacher - "
"Finish that sentence Draco Malfoy and I swear to God I'll hex your mouth shut." She spat - he could see the ice flowing from her eyes, and this powerful little witch would do it, too. So he didn't finish that sentence. He apologized, and as they walked back up to the castle, agreed to meet again at the same spot, same time, tomorrow.
They met there, under that tree by the water, a few days every week for a month. They talked, laughed, and grew closer under that tree. Ginny loved having someone to talk to who wouldn't judge her, and Draco loved just...having someone.
One cold Wednesday morning, towards the beginning of December, Ron decided to follow his baby sister. Ginny, being completely unaware, went on to meet Draco like she usually did on Wednesdays.
As she walked up to their tree she saw him and smiled. They walked around a bit, and talked. Ron could hear their laughter from behind the tree a few yards away. He waited, and listened in on their conversation. She was talking about him! She was telling Malfoy stupid little things about her day, about him! About last night, when he'd criticized her in front of the whole quidditch team for missing a goal, about this morning at breakfast when he brought it up again, just to make sure she knew he hadn't forgotten it.
"What a git! Don't worry about it, Ginny. He's not worth it."
"Draco, he's my brother. Of course he's worth it."
"Not if he's going to act like such a git. You should think about hexing HIS mouth shut instead of mine." She laughed. Every time Draco had tried to insult someone she knew and liked, she threatened to hex his mouth shut. One time he went too far, and challenged her. She had mentioned Lupin and Tonks again, and he insulted Lupin. Before the end of his statement, though, she was there with her usual threat. But this time, he wanted to see if she'd really go through with it.
He couldn't open his mouth for the rest of the afternoon, until Ginny figured out through his face and various moans and groans that he was sorry.
They sat under their tree again, unaware of the older Weasley behind them. Draco put his arm around Ginny, something she wasn't quite used to yet, but wasn't against. She liked the comfort of someone who would just listen. Someone who knew she was sixteen, and not a little girl. Someone who respected her.
Ron, however, was NOT used to this sight, and did not like it one bit.