Disclaimer: Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling and Stephanie belongs to me.

Quick AN: I really appreciate all the reviewers...you are the reason I got this far in my story!

Enjoy!

Chapter 14: Overprotective Brothers and Interesting Conversations

"So, what did they decide about the ball?" Ginny asked Ron and Hermione when they walked in. The two had just gotten back from a very long prefect meeting, followed by a very long snogging session.

Hermione sighed sadly. "They decided to wait until Christmas, you know, to see if everything mellows out a bit by then. Now we have to wait a whole month and a half for the dance."

"Well, I guess that makes sense. It wouldn't be fun at all if I have to worry about people dying all of a sudden," Ginny replied in understanding and Ron nodded in agreement. Ron had apologized to Ginny earlier, telling her that he just wanted to forget everything. Ginny was shocked, but promised him that she would gladly do so.

"Yeah, but it wouldn't have been so bad, seeing as I have a girlfriend and all that," he said, smiling at Hermione who had a small blush creeping onto her cheeks at his choice of words.

"Please stop with all the lovey-dovey stuff. It's enough to make me gag," said Ginny, irritably.

Hermione laughed. "Where in the world did you hear that muggle saying, Gin?"

" Lovey-Dovey? Oh.." Ginny snorted, "Harry said the same thing about you two yesterday."

"Hey, he doesn't have any right to say that," Ron replied in a know it all tone.

"Why's that?" Ginny asked him curiously.

"Didn't you see the way he was gazing at Stephanie the other day?" Ron shuddered, "Now that's definitely enough to make me gag."

Ginny giggled and Hermione slapped him lightly on the arm. "Oh, Ron, stop it. I, for one, think that it is absolutely adorable."

"Adorable?" he asked her. "Hermione, are you mad? That isn't something that is classified as adorable, maybe downright insane or daft or..."

"What's insane?" Harry interrupted, sitting next to Ginny on the sofa.

"Nothing," came the quick reply from the other three. He looked at them with a look that said, 'you people are very weird.'

"Okay," he replied slowly. "So, did they set a date for the ball yet?" Harry asked his two best friends.

"Yes." Hermione answered and then gave him a knowing grin, "Why? Is there someone you were going to ask?"

"I hope it isn't that bloody girl that you used to like," Ron said to the other male.

"What girl?" Harry asked.

"That girl that cried alot, I think her name was Cho. I didn't like her, she was a nasty bitch to you."

"Ron!" Hermione yelled. "Don't curse, it isn't nice," she chastised.

He held his hands up in mocking surrender. "Yes, of course mum." Harry and Ginny laughed at him in amusement, while Hermione glared.

"Ok, if it isn't Cho, then we already know who it's going to be," Hermione said, smirking at her friend.

Harry blushed under their gaze. "How could you possibly know?"

"Oh no, Harry! You aren't thinking about asking a bloody Slytherin, are you? That is just downright wrong!" Ron cried.

"Hey, don't you dare say that about my best friend!" Ginny yelled at him and Harry silently agreed.

Ron scoffed. "Oh, you would know all about that, wouldn't you? Having best mates who are in Slytherin."

"What the hell does that mean, Ron?" Ginny seethed. Why had he even bothered to say sorry?

"You know what I am talking about," he said accusingly, while Hermione and Harry sat there in silence, wishing he would shut up.

"Oh my God, Ron, are you still on about what happened with Malfoy?" Ginny asked. "That was two fucking weeks ago and I only did it so he wouldn't die."

"Yeah, ok.. and I suppose you want me to believe their isn't anything going on between you two," he replied hotly.

Ginny stood up and put her hands on her hips. "And what if there was Ron? What would you do then? You know what you would do? Absolutely nothing that's what, because all I have to do is tell Mum and Dad that you and Hermione are in a closet everyday for two bloody hours and you use the studying excuse then!" Hermione blushed a bright red and Ron paled. "I thought you were over this!"

"How did you know about that?" Ron demanded, ignoring her last words.

"Duh," Ginny said, pointing at Harry, "the Maurader's map."

"Oh," Ron replied weakly, "Well that doesn't give you the right to.."

"Yes, it does," Hermione interrupted. "Ron, she is sixteen years old and can do what she pleases, and you have no say in that." Ginny gave her a thankful smile.

"Fine, but that doesn't mean that I'm happy that she helped out Malfoy," Ron grumbled.

"How did you get him to do that?" Harry asked Hermione in amazement and Ginny nodded.

"Do what?"

"Get him calm so quickly," Ginny pointed out. "I've tried for sixteen years."

Hermione shrugged. "I just tell him that if he isn't nice, no snogging for a week." Ron turned a bright red and Harry snickered at his discomfort.

"That's brilliant," Ginny said, smiling. "I will have to use that tactic someday against my boyfriend."

"Oi!" Ron yelled at her. "You won't be snogging anybody, young lady."

"Ah, ah, ah," Ginny tutted, "we wouldn't want for Hermione to punish you, now would we?"

Ron smiled wickedly and said, "Depends on the punishment." Hermione blushed at his bluntness and the other two groaned in disgust.

"I so didn't want that mental image in my head," Ginny said. Harry felt sick at the thought of his two best friends doing...that together. "Ok, I think that I am going to go to the library now and do my homework," Ginny replied, heading towards the portrait. The trio yelled their goodbyes at her retreating back.

"What is it with you and dark corners?" Draco asked, sitting in front of Ginny. She had sat at her usual table, located at the back.

Ginny smiled slightly, "I don't know exactly. What is it with you and me meeting in the library every week?"

He shrugged and smirked. "I dunno...maybe you're stalking me or something."

"Stalking," Ginny snorted, "you do realize that you arrived here after me?"

"Oh," Draco replied, feeling dumb. How in the hell did this girl make him feel stupid? No girl had ever made him appear stupid! "You don't have to be a bitch about it," he said, angry at his own actions.

She sighed. "I wasn't. Also, I really don't have time for to get into another argument today."

"Another argument?" he asked, raising a blonde brow.

"Yes, another bloody argument."

"Let me guess, the older Weasley giving you trouble?"

"Not trouble exactly, just being an overprotective git like always," Ginny replied, sullen.

"Overprotective?" he asked her, curious. "Overprotective about what?"

Ginny blushed. "We were arguing over a guy."

Draco felt a slight pang in his chest at the thought of her with another guy, but squashed it immediately. "Oh? Who is it then?"

"None of your bloody business," she replied scathingly. "Why are you suddenly interested in my life? Aren't you supposed to be screwing that Pansy girl right about now?" she asked him, trying to steer the conversation away from the obvious.

"Fine," he drawled, acting uninterested at her outburst, but inside wondering what the hell she was on about. "I was just trying to be nice."

"N..ni.nice?" she sputtered. "You, being nice?" she giggled, "Oh thats a good one... what is this? Did you make a bet that you could be nice to me for a couple of weeks or something?"

Well, she was pretty close to what he was actually trying to do. Draco felt shocked at the guilt hanging over him about the bet. The bet hadn't even crossed his mind until now. Could it be that he actually wanted to hang around her? "No, of course not," he said to her, but she still remained doubtful. "You know why I am doing this," he replied through gritted teeth and she smiled.

"Why of course, Dear Drakie doesn't want to have to owe something to a Weasley," she teased.

Draco growled.

"Okay, okay. God, stop growling like a dog and I will stop teasing you," Ginny said, laughing at him.

"I am not a bloody dog," he pouted and her body was now shaking with laughter.

"You know, you aren't so bad if you get way past that ice exterior of yours," she said through the giggles.

He grinned at her. "Yeah, well, you aren't so bad yourself, Weasley."

She smiled and he felt his heart jump in his chest. "Thanks," she replied softly.

"Your welcome," he said, being sincere for the first time since he could remember.

"So, I guess that's the second time I've gotten you to say something nice," Ginny replied, proud of her accomplishment.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Yeah, I'm afraid you are going to be very bad for my reputation, Weasel."

"Hey! Same here, ferret." He winced at the nickname. "Aww, big boy can dish it out, but he can't take the comebacks?" Ginny taunted.

"No." He scoffed at her. "You have no bloody idea how much that shit hurt, getting turned into a bloody ferret."

She gave him a sympathetic smile. "Good thing that wasn't the real Alastor Moody. Although, I think he might have done the same thing considering the situation."

"Then I definitely don't want to meet him," Draco shuddered a little and she laughed. He smiled at the sound of her laughter, it really did seem to melt the ice. Everything about her made him feel warm inside...oh god, what in the hell was wrong with him? He was brought out of his thoughts by a tiny hand shaking his shoulder.

"Hello? Malfoy? Is someone home in that big head of yours?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah, yeah." He pushed her hand off and scowled.

"You know, you really scare me sometimes, but not as much as your cousin."

Draco smirked. "Oh really? So, you are scared of me then?"

"Ha, please," she scoffed, "don't flatter yourself. Like I said, Stephanie scares me more than you do," she replied, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Is that an invitation of some sort?" he asked, moving his eyebrows in a suggestive manner.

Ginny blushed. "No, like that would ever.." She stopped, realizing that it had in fact already happened. Draco smirked at her knowingly. "Do you know how much I hate it when you smirk?" she asked, not hating it at all. He actually looked really sexy when he smirked, but she wouldn't ever let him find that out.

"Well, yeah," he said sarcastically, "that's why I'm doing it. And don't try to change the subject either. What were you about to say?"

"Nothing at all," she said, gathering her things. "I really do need to get going... and I can't believe I'm about to say this, but I actually had an okay time with you. And I'm going to regret saying that later on, aren't I?" She asked herself, her forehead crinkling in thought.

Draco's smirk turned into a little smile at the gesture. "No.. and I can't believe I'm about to say this to a Weasley, but... I think I had an alright time as well."

Ginny smiled and walked over to where Draco sat. Bending down, she gave him a light kiss on the cheek. Color could now be seen in his face, but he still had his trademark smirk on when she walked out of sight. Oh God, this girl would be the death of him, but right now, he didn't really care.

I hope that you loved this chapter with all of your heart! (Hehe, ok maybe I am over reacting a little.) That might've been a little too fluffy, but don't worry b/c this story is not fluff worthy. There is action, romance, violence, and plenty of drama and angst ahead!

Please review for me,

LilyK