A/N-Whew! For the first time, I'm terrified to read your next reviews. I will respond to your previous ones via email.

Chapter 26

Emmery finally reached the Slytherin common room and walked in panting heavily. She thought she may pass out from the mixture of exhaustion and adrenaline so she leaned over placing her hands on her knees as she attempted to catch her breath. She suddenly realized that she had no clue where Draco's private dormitory was. He had only shown her the way to her room. She looked quickly around the common room and noticed that there were several doors everywhere. She attempted to open a few with and without her wand but had no luck. She paced the room trying to think of anything. She noticed the two separate stairways for the boys and girls but had no clue if Draco's dormitory was that way. She saw a rather large girl sitting alone by the fire stroking her cat with a smile on her face.

"Excuse me? Could you tell me where Draco Malfoy's dormitory is?" Emmery received no answer but the girl's smile widened. "You know the Head Boy. He's much taller than me but with the same color hair and eyes. Oh don't pretend you don't know who he is! All the girls in this school adore him."

"I know who he is." The girl said as she began to reposition herself on the couch.

Emmery wasn't one for being put off so she became angry. "Look, I'm in a bit of a hurry so if you could just point me in the direction-"

"Why would I do that? He could be rather busy right now." The girl said with satisfaction.

"Well let's see. Because if you don't I'll show you how wonderful you'd look with boils all over your face. Oops! I guess you've already got them!" Emmery said pretending to look surprised.

"Why you snobby little-" The girl stopped and looked towards a door that Pansy was exiting. Pansy's face was flushed, her hair was a mess, and her sweater improperly buttoned.

Pansy looked over at her friend and Emmery giving a quick evil grin. "Come along Millicent. We've got some planning to do."

Emmery became infuriated at Pany's apparent victory. "What exactly are you planning Cow? If what I've heard is true, you slipped Draco a love potion and tried to trick him into getting you pregnant."

Pansy walked right up to Emmery and towered over her. She placed her hands on her hips and scowled down at her. "Oh I didn't try blood traitor. I succeeded. Your so called powerful cousin didn't see that one coming did he? How dare he think he can reject me! Well there wasn't a single shred of rejection in his room just now. He's probably still calling my name." Pansy pushed Emmery out of her way and Emmery turned to strike her but stopped suddenly. She had to extinguish her Malfoy temper and go to Draco.

She knocked softly on the door receiving no answer. She tried to open it but it was charmed. She waived her wand and opened the door. She walked in and found him sitting on his bed, head in his hands, wearing nothing but his black velvet comforter. She walked closer but at a snail's pace. He didn't seem to hear her or just didn't care that she was there.

Emmery and Draco hadn't been close for several years so knowing what to say to him at a time like this wasn't easy. She knelt down on the floor beside his bed and looked up at him. His eyes were watering and his lip quivering. She placed her hand on his leg and whispered. "Draco? Is there anything I can do?"

Draco was on the verge of crying uncontrollably but he held the tears in his eyes with all of his strength. He sat back and wiped his eyes harshly and sighed heavily. He spoke softly and carefully. "I don't know what just happened. I can't believe what just happened. I'm going to lose her. I can't believe it."

Emmery stood and sat on the bed next to him and stroked his back softly. "I'm not sure who you're talking about but I'm sure she will understand."

Draco shot a look at Emmery of disbelief. "No she won't! How could she possibly understand? You can't undo something like this! I've completely betrayed her."

Emmery nodded in agreement realizing that an argument wasn't what he needed right now. "Well you would know her best."

"I don't know what came over me! I was just talking to you and then suddenly all I could think about was Pansy! It was like all of the sudden I was in love with her and had to be with her at that very moment. Like she was the love of my life or something. Nothing else mattered. I was so drawn to her. She actually looked attractive to me! I must be completely losing my mind to even get near her! Especially since she's been trying-Oh my God!" Draco shot up quickly and began pacing the room mumbling loudly to himself. Emmery quickly shut her eyes trying to hand him his comforter.

After about a minute of holding the comforter and her eyes shut, she felt around on the floor for his clothes. She found shorts or boxers (she couldn't quite tell) and waived them around in the air hoping to get his attention. He absentmindedly took them out of her hands and put them on. He continued to pace the room as Emmery watched and searched for something to say. Suddenly Draco's mumbling transformed into something she could understand. "There must have been some reason for me to act that way! I don't love her! She's absolutely revolting! I'll admit I've been a little tired lately, and definitely frustrated but I would never do that to her. I promised I'd wait!"

Emmery finally realized that Draco had no clue what had really happened to him. "Draco! You'll want to sit down for this one."

He sat down next to her on the bed and returned to his normal position of his head in his hands. Emmery cleared her throat and took a deep breath. "Alright. As soon as I tell you this you have to promise me that you will not confront Pansy until we work out a plan."

"What do you mean work out a plan? What aren't you telling me Emmy?" Draco demanded.

Emmery sighed again. "She slipped you a love potion Draco. Right after the explosion in the Great Hall."

Draco's faced turned beat red as he stood and punched the wall creating a large hole. He turned to Emmery and stared at her as his hand dripped blood on his carpet. He was breathing heavily and looked as if he was going to kill someone. He didn't speak. He just stared at her with his look of fury. Emmery cleared her throat again. "Now I don't want you to go after her Draco. There's a better way to handle things like this. I just need time to think." She said and began massaging her temples.

"Urrrgh!" Draco punched the wall again but with his other hand that also began to drip blood.

Emmery ignored his outburst and violent behavior as her thoughts raced. "Okay….I need to see Hermione Granger. She is waiting to hear from me anyway and-"

Draco shouted loudly. "Why is she waiting to hear from you? Does she know about this?"

Emmery had a look of surprise. "Yes Draco. Everyone saw you fawning over Pansy."

Draco began pacing again with his fists clenched which was causing the blood to flow freely out of his hands. He suddenly stopped and lowered his voice. "Did um…Ginny Weasley see?"

Suddenly it all became clear. Emmery understood why Ginny was trying to hide her tears and who Draco was afraid of losing. "Yes Draco. I'm afraid so and I'm not going to lie to you. She's just devastated about it. Ginny was on her way to stop you herself but I convinced her that she wouldn't want to be seen bursting into the common room. I told her and Hermione that I would try and stop it and let them know when I did."

Draco sat down again but at his desk this time. He stroked his hand over a piece of parchment that Ginny had completed earlier in the year. He brought the parchment to his nose and breathed it in. "I loved how she smelled. I loved her writing. I loved how neat she made me keep this desk. I loved-" He suddenly broke down uncontrollably.

Emmery walked over to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "She's not going to get away with this Draco. Let me handle it. Promise me you'll stay in your room until you hear from me?"

Draco looked out the window. "I'm uh supposed to have a Quidditch match tonight. But I don't care. I'm not going."

"No! That's perfect. Go to your match. I'll be there. But promise me you won't try and retaliate. Just pretend that nothing happened." Emmery said imploringly.

Draco sniffled and nodded in agreement. The once strong and powerfulPrince of Slytherin had been reduced to a deceived and helpless boy. Emmery brought him a towel to clean his hands and left him alone staring at the now blood smeared parchment.

Emmery stepped out of the common room and took a deep breath. She didn't know exactly where to meet the girls but thought to first look in the Great Hall. She found Hermione and Ginny sitting at the Gryffindor table sitting in silence. Hermione noticed her coming towards them first and read the expression on Emmery's face immediately. Hermione looked over at Ginny who had just noticed Emmery and looked terrified. Emmery didn't say a word as she sat down across from them and folded her hands on the table.

Almost a full minute passed when a tear Ginny had been holding back slid down her cheek. She conjured enough courage to speak. "You didn't make it in time…Did you?"

Emmery looked at her seeming genuinely sorry. "I'm afraid not Ginny."

Ginny started to sob but not as loud as she had done near the kitchens. She had felt it deep down that it had already been too late when Emmery said she'd go alone. Ginny knew Pansy wouldn't dare waste any time. Ginny looked away and bit her bottom lip to stop it from trembling. Hermione looked over at Ginny and held her hand. "I'm so sorry Ginny. But, it's not as if he meant it. He didn't know what he was doing."

Ginny half laughed and shook her head. "It doesn't matter. What's done is done. You can't undo something like that."

Emmery raised an eyebrow realizing that Draco had spoken those exact words just a moment ago. It was obvious to her that Ginny and Draco were truly connected in some way. "Look Ginny, I'm just learning as I go here but it's obvious that you and Draco care deeply for each other. It amazes me that he would even think of caring for someone his Mother would destroy in a second. He obviously has no control of his heart. It belongs to you now."

Ginny wiped away a tear and spoke hoarsely. "Yes well. We could never move on from here. It would just be too awkward. He would have unmanageable guilt and I wouldn't be able to think of anything else."

Hermione's jaw dropped as she suddenly looked furious. "If I remember correctly. A certain someone dismissed something terrible that happened to you without even giving it a second thought. That certain someone helped you get through it. That certain someone tries to help you pretend like it never happened everyday!"

Ginny was in shock as Hermione had never taken a tone like that with her. "Look Hermione, Draco's life is about to change and I just know that he'll push me away thinking he's protecting me. He wouldn't let me help him through this even if I begged him to. He would look at it as a sign of weakness on his part if I helped him get through it. He'll look at our relationship as tarnished in some way by his own hands. Trust me. He won't want to be with me anymore."

Hermione shook her head in disbelief. Emmery sat up and spoke sternly. "Well then you're just not going to let him be that way. Draco would never be with a girl that couldn't take control. I know you can do it. If you want to be with him Ginny, go to him right now. Tell him you won't accept anything other than being together."

Ginny stood and cut her off. "I just can't. It's not what he would want. I know him." With that Ginny walked out of the Great Hall leaving Hermione and Emmery frustrated and confused.

Ginny entered the Gryffindor common room and went straight to her dormitory. She laid down on the bed and pulled the covers over her. She wasn't tired but just needed time to think. Would Draco actually ever want to speak to her again after what he had done with Pansy? Would she even be able to face him? What if Pansy did end up pregnant? Suddenly she heard his voice. "Ginny….Ginny can you hear me?"

Ginny rolled over, cleared her thoughts, and closed her mind.