Chapter 5: Intrusion

Ginny struggled in shock and terror as the arm around her tightened. She fought and struggled and tried to call out for help, but the hand covering her mouth prevented her from doing so.

"Ginny!" a voice whispered urgently right next to her ear. Ginny stopped, her breathing still heavy and uneven. The arms around her loosened, and Draco Malfoy moved quietly and quickly to her side. She opened her mouth to speak, but Draco shook his head fiercely so she stopped.

Ginny raised her eyebrows, questioning what was going on. She didn't like the look on Draco's face. He was paler than normal, and his forehead was scrunched in anxiety.

"Did you hear that, Bartle?" called a voice from the hallway. Ginny whipped around to see who was there, but Draco pulled her down to the ground.

"Huh?" came another voice—Bartle—from the same direction. "Hear what?"

"I'm not exactly sure," the first voice said, moving into the living room. Ginny could feel her heart racing as she saw two shadowy figures enter the joint room. If they looked over to the kitchen, Ginny and Draco would be clearly visible. Draco seemed to notice the same problem, so he nodded his head in the other direction. Ginny agreed.

"What do you think it is?" the man named Bartle asked. Ginny and Draco saw them turn in the other direction, knowing this was the only chance they'd have to move. Cautiously, they crept deeper into the kitchen, keeping an eye on the two intruders.

"Lanley?" Bartle asked his companion.

"Hush!" Lanley ordered. As Ginny and Draco backed into a hiding position against the far wall, they saw Lanley whip around. "Did you hear that?" he questioned Bartle.

Bartle shook his head, but Lanley wasn't paying any attention. He strolled across the living room and towards the front door, peering into the pitch-black kitchen. Ginny froze, fearing the loud beat of her heart would give them away.

"Are you sure you aren't hearing things, Lanely? What with your hearing leaving you in your old age and everything," Bartle said casually. Lanely spun around, his anger evident in his voice.

"Old age? I'm only 45!" he shouted loudly. "You're older than I am!"

They began to argue, flinging insults at each other back and forth. Ginny and Draco continued to back up, still eyeing their intruders. They were almost at the back door when the arguing stopped. From their new position they couldn't see Bartle or Lanley, so when they stopped arguing, both Draco and Ginny froze. They held their breath, listening with all their might for any kind of sound.

The whole house was silent. Suddenly, a floorboard creaked from the direction which Draco and Ginny had just come from. In that instant, Ginny knew. Somehow, one or both of their intruders had realized where they were and had nearly cornered them. Ginny drew out her wand, mentally scolding herself for not having it out earlier. She looked at Draco and nodded toward the back door, hoping he would take the hint to leave while he still could.

Draco shook his head, knowing he would never leave her alone in the house with two dangerous men…even if she was a Weasley. Ginny pushed him at the door and stood up, sending curses out into the dark.

"Stupefy!" she cried, and Draco thought he heard a thud as something or someone hit the floor.

Ginny's heart was racing as she cast spells into the blackness. The living room had been lit up by moonlight, but she couldn't even see her wand out in front of her while in the kitchen. Someone hit the floor, and she was sure she'd hit one of the two men.

"Ah!" Ginny squeaked, as a particularly nasty hex hit her square in the chest. She fell backwards as the pain seared through her body. Looking up she saw Draco lunge forward. Ginny reached out an arm and tried to call out, but nothing happened. Her voice was gone. Ginny's arm fell back down and she tried to get up, but her body wouldn't respond. She couldn't move. The room started closing in around her. She tried to breathe in fresh, life-saving air, but her lungs wouldn't function. She couldn't breathe.

The last thing Ginny remembered, before her mind went completely blank, was being lifted up by strong, powerful arms.

Ginny cringed, feeling the stabbing pain that was attacking her whole body. She opened her eyes slowly but couldn't see anything. The darkness pressed in around Ginny as she tried to sit up.

"You had me worried," a voice stated simply from behind her. Ginny twirled around quickly, but regretted it as soon as she did when a bolt of pain shot through her head. Draco sat on the ground, looking drained, but a genuine smile tugged at his lips.

"You?" Ginny said with a smile as she sat up. "I had you worried?" She groaned involuntarily as her body protested movement.

"Are you okay?" he asked her. Ginny looked into his eyes…he seemed almost concerned.

"Never mind me," she said, "But let's get back to the part about you being worried about me." Ginny grinned at him, and if a Malfoy could blush, then Draco would've at that moment. Had he really been concerned? The thought floated through Draco's head, and Ginny waited patiently for him to answer.

"See, the thing is," he fumbled, "It's just 'cause I had the obligation to save you. You know, the whole dangerous scene, got to fight off two evil men and save the damsel in distress. But then you got hurt, and it ruined the whole thing." He was rambling now, and it just made Ginny smile even more. "So, I didn't want my image as the manliest of men to get ruined…and if you had been injured, then my whole image would've been shattered…and that would not have been good…yeah…"

"Uh, huh," Ginny answered sarcastically. Then the images from earlier flashed through her head. "What happened back there?" she asked him. "I passed out or something after I got hit by that spell."

Draco looked away uncomfortably.

"What?" Ginny asked in confusion. He had obviously gotten them out of there safely, so what was the big deal?

"Nothing. Well, you hit one of them with a stunning spell, but then the other one got you. Then, I dunno, I sort of tackled him." Draco explained somewhat awkwardly.

"Tackled him?" she asked with raised eyebrows, "As in, what muggles do?"

"I guess," he answered with a shrug of his shoulders. "It was the only thing I could think of since I couldn't do magic." Ginny looked at him angrily so he added, "Since I didn't have a wand either. Besides, it worked. The guy hit his head when we hit the floor, and he was out. Then, I just got us out and as far away as I could manage."

"How far away?" Ginny asked wearily. Whoever the two intruders had been, she was sure they weren't friends.

"I don't know," he answered truthfully. "I just grabbed you and ran. I entered the woods behind your house, and I just kept running. Err, for maybe an hour? I tried to run most of the way, but I ended up walking after a while."

"Hmm…" Ginny said, thinking. "Well that doesn't get us very far. We're not very far in."

"Well, you can try carrying someone and running at the same time. All the while your heart's beating so loud that you feel like you're going to become deaf any second. But you can't become deaf because you're still straining to hear if anyone's following you, or if there's anything else out there. Yeah, I'd like to see you try that," Draco snapped.

"Whoa," said Ginny, "Hold on there. I wasn't accusing you or anything," she tried to explain. "I was just pointing out that maybe we need to keep going. You know, put just a little more distance between us and my house."

"Whatever," Draco replied.

"Look, I'll carry you if it was that big of a deal," Ginny said angrily. Boy, he was moodier than a girl!

Draco shook his head and sighed. "No, never mind. I'm just tired; that's why I snapped. Besides, you were incredibly light," he pointed out.

"Thank you?" Ginny said uneasily. First he was worried about her and now he was giving her compliments. What was going on?

"No problem," he answered unemotionally. "Well, we should get going."

Ginny nodded her head in agreement, "Right."

"Now," he said seriously, scratching his head, "Which direction?" He got up gracefully and spun in a circle, examining each way. "I think we came from that way," Draco pointed behind Ginny but then shook his head. "No, that's not right. Maybe…" he said, turning in a circle again.

"Malfoy," Ginny said, but Draco was ignoring her. "Malfoy," she repeated, but he couldn't hear her. "Malfoy!" she shouted at last.

Draco stopped mumbling to himself and turned to face her. "What?"

"We can just apparate," Ginny said simply.

"You can apparate?" he asked, a little impressed.

"Yeah," she answered shortly but then moved on to the bigger question, "But where to?"

They both stood there, thinking to themselves. They couldn't go back to Ginny's house…that'd just be pure stupidity. And they couldn't go anywhere public because Draco was wanted by the Ministry. The only possibility Ginny could come up with was…

"Maybe we could go to my home?" Draco suggested. He'd gone through some options in his mind, and all he could come up with was to go back to Malfoy Manor.

"Exactly what I was thinking," Ginny agreed, nodding her head.

"But it might not be safe," Draco cut in. He had been pretty sure that Voldemort had thought he was dead, but the two intruders tonight made him think otherwise. They were probably Death Eaters coming to look for him, or they were just out to destroy peoples' lives.

"I know," Ginny agreed, "But it's the only place we can go."

Draco sighed. He didn't want to go there. In the first place, he hated the manor. It reminded him of his messed up childhood, and of the loneliness that had possessed him through his youth. Secondly, the most obvious reason, it might be dangerous to go there. And thirdly, his mother would be there, if she hadn't been killed or sent to Azkaban yet, and she wouldn't be happy when he'd drag a Weasley into their perfect home. Draco stopped. There was a tiny thought tugging at the edges of his mind. It was something important. He focused, but it wasn't doing any good. The thought, memory, whatever it was, had slipped away.

"Alright, then," Ginny said as Draco came out of whatever trance-thing he'd been in, "Let's get going."

She stood, ready to disapparate, but Draco didn't move. He coughed slightly, so Ginny turned to look at him.

"Now what?" she asked, exasperated.

"As I remember," he retorted to her impatience, "A little miss I-Like-To-Go-Around-And-Mess-With-Peoples'-Powers has bound my magic." Ginny gave him a dirty look, but took out her wand all the same. She breathed in slowly, trying to rid herself of the anger Draco had just given her. Ginny concentrated, and it all came flooding back at Draco. He staggered as his magic pounded against his body and mind. Draco fell over backwards, having not been ready for the assault that had come from his own magic.

"Happy now?" Ginny asked pointedly.

"Why yes," he answered back, "Yes, I am."

Draco got up slowly; the incident had left him breathless. Once he was standing erect, he cringed. His whole body ached incredibly. It felt like his limbs had been pulled and twisted into all different directions.

"Hurt, didn't it?" Ginny asked tenderly.

Draco looked at her evenly, but then answered truthfully, "Like hell."

"Good," she retorted, making a face at him.

He rolled his eyes. That's what he got for being honest to a woman. No, Draco thought quickly, a girl—a stupid, insignificant, and useless girl.

"Let's just go already," he said, shaking the awkward thoughts from his head.

"Whatever," Ginny stated, "So where are we going?"

Draco looked at her. She can't be serious, can she? "You're joking right? We're going to my manor. Haven't we discussed this, or did I just make the last five minutes up in my head?"

"I know where we're going," Ginny said as she rolled her eyes, "But I still need to know where it is. I need to vision it, to know my destination. I need a town, or address, or a vivid picture…something."

Draco sighed; this was taking way too long.

"Why, Ginny," he said huskily, stepping close to her. Ginny flinched, her breath getting caught at the back of her throat. "Has anyone ever told you how incredibly beautiful you are?" he asked, gazing deeply into her eyes. Draco brought his hands to her shoulders, moving them slowly down her arms.

"M-Malfoy? What are you d-doing?" Ginny stammered as his fingers sent goose bumps through her body. He grabbed her hand softly, and placed it at his forearm. He kept his hand over hers, making sure she wouldn't let go. Then Draco turned on the spot, envisioning the manor and knowing where he was going.

The air pressed in around them, constricting their lungs and making it difficult to breathe. Ginny gasped for breath, holding on tightly to Draco's arm. Within seconds, the suffocating feeling was gone. Both Ginny and Draco went sprawling to the ground as they reached their destination. Ginny sat up angrily and glared at Draco.

"You know," she said evilly, "You could've just told me that you were going to side-along apparate me. You didn't have to go through that whole charade," Ginny finished with a glare.

Draco smirked. "Yeah, I could have, but messing with you was way too appealing at the moment."

He got up gracefully and made his way to the manor. Ginny got up too, glaring daggers at his back, but she followed him nonetheless. They approached the magnificent mansion quickly, and Ginny couldn't help but look at it in awe. The Malfoy Manor was nothing less than magnificent. The house, if you could actually call it a house, was at least three stories tall and five acres in size. It sat proudly on a slight hill, towering over the even larger plot of land.

Ginny was so busy admiring the house that she bumped into a stationary Draco. He smirked at her, having watched while she looked at his home in awe. Ginny glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Alright, we're here," she said evenly, "Now what?"

"Err…" Draco said hesitantly. "Wait here a moment," he ordered as he opened the front doors and rushed in. Ginny sighed dramatically, reluctant to wait for Malfoy. What is he doing anyway? She thought.

Five minutes. Ten minutes. What on earth is ferret-boy doing? Ginny thought angrily. She giggled slightly though, recalling when the Mad Eye Moody imposter transfigured Malfoy into a ferret. She hadn't been there, but she would've given anything to have seen it. Ginny glanced at the door as it opened slowly. Draco stood there, looking puzzled and alarmed at the same time.

"What's wrong?" Ginny asked automatically. She didn't like the look on Draco's face.

"Nothing," he muttered as he opened the door farther. He walked back into his house, not saying anything else. Ginny watched him, assuming he meant for her to follow. She stepped over the threshold, closing the door behind her. As she turned around, she stared in awe at the inside of the mansion. It was even more magnificent, if that was even possible, than the outside. Then she turned frantically, looking around for Draco.

"Over here," he called lazily from the other room. Ginny followed his voice as she walked into an enormous library. The walls were covered in shelves and they were all lined with a different assortment of books. Hermione would love it here, Ginny thought as she gazed at all the books. Draco was sprawled across a black-leathered love seat. He had his hands over his eyes, and his forehead was all scrunched up, a classic sign that something was wrong with him.

"What's wrong?" Ginny questioned again, and this time Draco didn't deny that he was worried.

"My mother's not here," he stated simply.

Ginny looked at him. He was worried about his mother?

"Well, I'm sure she's alright," she tried to comfort him, but wasn't really sure how. She'd never seen Draco actually upset for another human being before. It was weird, and it was kind of freaking her out.

"You don't get it," he snapped savagely. Instead of snapping back, Ginny walked over to him and knelt down next to Draco. He turned away from her, refusing to look at the red head.

"What don't I get?" Ginny asked him tenderly, but Draco didn't answer. He kept his back to her. "What don't I get?" she asked again. He didn't answer, and she realized that there was definitely something she was missing. "Draco?" she asked, purposely using his first name. Nothing. Ginny sighed as she made to get up and leave.

"I don't know where she is," Draco said, his back still facing her.

"Well," Ginny offered, "maybe she's just out for today."

"She doesn't go 'out'," he replied evenly.

Ginny sighed, "Err," she tried again, "Maybe she's here. I mean, the mansion is incredibly huge. She could be sleeping or something and didn't hear when we came in."

"Something's happened to her," Draco said, turning around to face Ginny. "She not out somewhere, and she's not lounging around here. Something is wrong."

"Oh," was all Ginny managed to say. He was really upset, and she had no idea how to deal with him. She could handle Draco when he was annoying or full of himself and even when he was angry. But when he was genuinely sad…Ginny was clueless how to act.

"I'm sure she's going to be alright," Ginny added.

"You don't get it!" Draco shouted, standing up and pacing across the room. "She's all I have, Ginny! My prick of a father is in Azkaban, and I couldn't care less! But if my mother got sent there, or if something worse happened to her, I don't think I could stand it!"

Ginny watched as Draco leaned against the wall then slid down to the floor. He brought his legs up to his chest and dropped his head in his hands. After a moment's hesitation, Ginny walked over to Draco and slid down next to him. She wrapped her arm around Draco, as if they were friends, and pulled him in close.

"She's the only one who has every really loved me," he murmured after several minutes, still not looking up at Ginny.

"And she won't be the last," Ginny stated. She opened her mouth again to comfort him, but the words wouldn't form. Instead, she just moved closer to Draco, laying her head on his shoulder. They stayed that way for a while, neither moving nor speaking. Both were lost in their own thoughts.

"Oh no," Ginny said, breaking their silence. She stood up quickly, her mind racing.

"What?"

"What about my parents?" she said quickly. "They're going to go back to my house and discover that the place has been trashed. Or worse, those two men could still be there, waiting for them."

"Well, what do we do?" he questioned her.

"Actually," Ginny answered hesitantly, a plan already formed in her mind, "I need to do this alone. I'll have to go to the Ministry and find my parents before they go home."

Draco got up and stood next to Ginny. He didn't like that he was being forced to stay back, but he knew he couldn't just waltz into the Ministry. But also…he was kind of worried about her.

"It could be dangerous," Draco warned her as they walked to the front door.

"I'll apparate straight there and straight back. It'll be okay. I'll be back before you know it," she whispered.

And before either of them knew what was going on, they were wrapped in each other's arms in a tight embrace. Neither of them knew who moved first, but they both welcomed the notion as if it were normal. Stepping away awkwardly, Draco opened the door for Ginny. She stepped out into the bright sunlight, and walked briskly to the end of the property. Most homes nowadays had protection spells that did not allow apparation or disapparation within the property, and the Malfoy Manor was no exception.

Ginny got to the property line, and turned on the spot, imagining the Ministry building clearly in her mind. Within moments, Ginny was in one of the apparation stations set up inside the Ministry.

Ginny rushed to the elevators, ignoring the man who had greeted her. She only prayed that one of her parents was there. Many adult wizards had given up their normal jobs to help the Ministry the best they could, her mother included. Ginny shook nervously as the elevator took her to father's floor. As soon as the doors opened, she bolted out, heading straight for her father's office.

She had been to her father's new office only once before, but she remembered the way easily. Turning the corner, Ginny sprinted down the hallway and into the office at the end of the row.

"Dad?" she called out breathlessly as soon as she entered. No answer. The room was empty. Ginny collapsed in the chair in exhaustion. What the hell am I going to do now? Her mind was racing, and she was so lost in thought that she didn't notice a man enter the room.

"Ginny, dear?" the man asked, waking Ginny from her thoughts.

"Dad!" she shouted in excitement, jumping up from the desk. Ginny couldn't remember a time when she'd been so happy to see her father. She hugged the red headed man tightly, not letting go until he pried his daughter away from him.

"Ginny, what's going on?" he asked quickly. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes," she said quickly, "Well, no." He looked at her questioningly.

"I only have a couple minutes," he replied hurriedly. "Tell me what's going on."

Ginny then explained what had happened when she had returned from St. Mungo's. She told her dad about the two men, who may or may not have been Death Eaters, but who were obviously not friends. Ginny assured her father she was all right, and that she had escaped unscathed. She left out Draco entirely. Her father was understanding, but not that understanding.

"But you're alright?" her father asked again.

"I'm fine, Dad," she assured him.

"Where are you going to stay now?" he asked with concern. Uh oh, Ginny thought. What was she going to say now?

"Err…" she hesitated, "I can stay with…Luna Lovegood. She's a friend from school, and she'd be more than willing to let me stay for a while." Ginny watched her father as he considered the option. He looked at his daughter and couldn't help but smile. She stood tall and defiant despite her short stature. Her eyes held a spark that spoke of determination and willpower.

"Alright," he agreed after a moment. "You may stay at Luna's, but I want you to apparate here every week or so. It's been even more hectic and chaotic here than ever. I'm never given a moment's rest! I'll speak with your mother. If you can't find me when you drop in, then check your mother's floor. She's working on Floor 5. When you get out of one of the elevators, she'll be working in the office all the way on the left."

Ginny nodded, "I can remember that." She hugged her father tightly one more time, hoping it wouldn't be last.

"Get home safely, my dear," he said warmly, letting her go. Ginny smiled, and then walked out the door. Mr. Weasley watched her go sadly, but not with much worry. Whatever happened to Ginny, he knew she was more than capable of taking care of herself.

Ginny departed from the Ministry and arrived in front of the Malfoy Manor only seconds later. She smiled to herself when she saw a bottom level curtain fly back into position, as if someone had just been looking out of it.

"Hello?" she called, stepping into the enormous mansion.

"Hey," Draco answered lazily. Ginny followed his voice into the library. He was sprawled across the same love seat, trying very hard to appear nonchalant. "So, what happened?" he asked in an offhand voice.

"Well, I found my father and explained that our house was broken into and that it wasn't safe. I told him I was alright and that I was staying with a friend," she finished.

Draco sat straight up, "You told him you were staying with me?"

She shook her head, "No, I said I was staying with a friend. When he asked who, I told him Luna Lovegood."

"Oh," was all Draco managed to get out. Does that mean that she is actually going to that Lovegood girl's house?

Ginny sat down in one of the comfy armchairs, and they sat in an awkward silence. Both of them were avoiding the issue at hand. Realistically, it shouldn't have been an issue in the first place. Ginny would go to Luna's house, no questions asked, and Draco would be glad to see the back of her. But now…well, now there was something there, something between the both of them. Whether it was a mere bond of friendship that had formed or more than that, they were both aware of the change.

"So," Draco decided to speak up, "Are you going to stay there?" The question hung in the air as thoughts flew through both of their heads. Ginny opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. What was she supposed to say anyway? If she said she was going to go to Luna's, he might find it insulting and forever hate her. But if she said she was just going to stay at the manor, it was not only her inviting herself over, but it would also be awkward.

"You can stay here," he murmured, speaking so Ginny wouldn't have to. "That is, if you wanted to."

Ginny grinned. He's so cute when he's embarrassed, she thought. Wait…what? What are you thinking Ginny? She shook her head vigorously, trying to get rid of her crazy thoughts. She saw Draco's face fall. He had thought she was saying no to his proposal.

"Wait!" she said quickly, "I would love to stay here…if you don't mind." Draco's face lit up, and another awkward silence filled the room.

"Well," Draco said, looking out the window. "It's getting late."

And it was late. From the time Ginny had gotten back from the Ministry, the sun had gone from high above them to receding over the treetops. Wow, Ginny thought, today went by really fast.

"Err…" Ginny began, hoping she wasn't going to sound rude, "Do you happen to have anything to eat?"

"Oh, right," Draco answered quickly, "You must be hungry."

Ginny nodded, and he led the way deeper into the house. Taking a couple of turns, they wound up in a brilliant dining hall. There was an enormously long table that could probably seat just around a hundred people. Each chair looked as if it had been hand crafted; the wood was sleek and elegant. When Ginny looked back at Draco, he was smiling.

"What?" she asked cautiously.

"Nothing," he answered quickly, the smile disappearing as soon as it had appeared. "Alright, now all you have to do is hang tight. I'm going to go whip us up something."

Ginny cringed involuntarily. "Are you sure? You know I don't mind cooking. I really don't. I could make us something to eat pretty quickly, and I don't mind at all."

"Don't worry," Draco said, shaking his head and grinning, "I've got it covered. Do you have any requests?"

She shook her head slowly, regretting her request for food. With that, Draco strolled to the door.

"Wait!" Ginny called out. Draco stopped, halfway out the door. "I do have a request!"

"And it is?"

"Something edible, please!" she said delicately. He frowned at her, but the frown changed to a grin within moments.

"Whatever the lady wishes," Draco answered. He bowed and backed out of the room. Ginny watched him leave, her eyebrows raised in wonder. When had Draco's attitude towards her changed? Ginny thought back to the last couple of days, realizing that it hadn't happened in one single day or moment. His attitude had slowly been changing over the time they spent together. But what scared Ginny the most was when she realized that her attitude towards him had changed just as much.

She didn't cringe or make a face when she saw him. Instead, a light fluttery feeling erupted in her stomach. Ginny frowned at this recognition. The last time she'd had that feeling was when she'd been with Harry. It's nothing, she assured herself. I'm just happy to have someone to talk to, a friend. That much was true. She was happy to have someone about her age to talk to and to just be around. She hadn't seen her friends or even her brothers all summer; it had been horrid.

Harry, she thought dreamily. Oh, how she missed him. She missed the way he couldn't keep his eyes off her. When they were with a bunch of people, he was only looking at her. When Ginny would realize that he was staring at her, she'd turn away and blush, loving the feeling her gave her. She missed the way Harry would gaze deeply into her eyes and tell her how beautiful and wonderful and amazing she was. Sadness crept over Ginny as she thought and remembered the hours she had spent with Harry. The time they were together was so short; she'd give anything to be back in his arms one more time.

"Are you ready?" Draco asked, peeking his head through the door.

Ginny's stomach did a flip as she remembered the food situation. "As ready as I'll ever be," she answered.

"Close your eyes then," he ordered.

Ginny did so. A smell hammered down on her, and she cringed. Wait a minute, she thought to herself, that smells good!

"Okay," Draco whispered into her ear. Ginny shivered at the nearness. "Open your eyes!"

What met Ginny's eyes was a total and utter surprise. There was no decaying or pulsating food, like the sandwich he'd created earlier, only marvelous and steaming masterpieces. Her eyes widened, taking in the whole scene: there were trays upon trays of food. For a moment, Ginny felt as if she were back at Hogwarts, sitting at the long house table and eating her fill on so many delectable foods.

"Wow," was all Ginny managed to get out.

"Amazing, aren't I?" Draco asked cockily.

"B-but…" Ginny stammered.

"Didn't think I was a good cook, did you?" he asked, a smug grin on his face.

She couldn't answer. All she did was shake her head in response, gazing over all the food she'd soon ingest.

"How?" she questioned him.

"Oh," Draco answered airily, "We amazing chefs have our ways."

"Uh, huh," Ginny responded sarcastically. "Wait a second," she said as she noticed what Draco was twirling, "Where'd you get a wand from?"

Draco smiled smugly, "Oh, I just had it lying around."

She rolled her eyes at his explanation and pulled a couple of trays nearer to her plate.

"No really," he continued, "This is my original wand. When I was younger, I didn't like it, so my parents allowed me to get a new one."

"Spoiled!" Ginny coughed under her breath.

"What was that?" Draco asked her playfully.

"Oh, nothing."

"Yes, well it better have been nothing, or else I would've had to take all this delicious food away," he said simply. Ginny eyed him wearily and began to eat. She hadn't realized how hungry she had been! Draco sat down in the chair next to her and began to eat as well. Both of them were starving, so the meal went by quickly as they downed dish after dish. They ate in silence, though it wasn't awkward or strained.

"Man, am I tired!" Ginny exclaimed after she had finished eating. She leaned back in her chair lazily, her eyelids feeling heavy.

"You ready for bed?" Draco asked her as he got up from his chair. He was glad she had said something because he was equally tired. It had been a long day, and he was awaiting his nice and cozy bed.

Ginny nodded eagerly and followed Draco out of the dining hall. He led her up a marvelous spiraling staircase and down the hall to the right.

"This," he said, pointing to a set of doors at the end of the hall, "Is my bedroom. If you have any problems or need anything later tonight, then you know where to find me."

Ginny nodded and then followed him back down the hall a bit to the next door.

"You can stay in this guest room," he said, standing next to the door.

"Okay," Ginny said, and that weird silence fell over them again. She would've given anything to have that hate relationship they once shared…now it was just strange and abnormal. They looked uncomfortably at their feet, neither of them knowing quite what to say.

"Goodnight, then," Draco said quietly. He turned around and started walking back to his room.

"Malfoy?" she called out after him, and Draco turned around. Ginny hesitated. What was she going to say anyway?

"Yeah?"

"Err," she stammered, "…thanks…for everything."

He didn't say anything, just nodded and started walking back to his room. Ginny opened her own door, stepping into one of the most marvelous guest bedrooms she'd ever seen. But Ginny was too tired from the long day and anxious from the situation with Draco to admire the décor. She stumbled to the enormous bed and flopped right down, falling asleep as soon as her head hit the pillows.

A/N: I'm done!! I'm soooooooooo very sorry I didn't finish earlier! Forgive me? It's been a VERY long week at my house. I'd explain, but it's too long of a story. Well, I'm still not sure how my imagination is doing. I had to write and rewrite most of this chapter, so tell me what you think!

Read and review por favor!

Thanks: QueenBee11, I'm Blond. James Blond., Flipinpenname, ailiramlove, gh0ulish, and missMANNEQUINx! I love you all!