Sorry to all those who wanted to see Ginny move in with Draco. As I've said, I want this romance to be as complicated as possible, and so I must delay. It wouldn't turn out right if I did let her move in. This is more like a fill in chapter, as I have to introduce Draco's owl and a few other things…

Thanks bunches to Ice princess grl (If you haven't thrown yourself off the bridge yet, in the next chapter I have something about Draco and showers, much more detailed, trust me) loonysango (don't worry, the glitter's gonna make a comeback!) AnitaBlakeBuffyFan (Yes, Gin is still v. v. disturbed from that) xxaishiteru (Icht nein, as you can see, no random moving in…for now ;) ) TheScarlettSecret (Still drooling over your screen name…) America sucks move to Europe (I agree totally with your screen name, and yes, if little bunny Fufu came hopping down the road, I'd take a bazooka and blast his head off. Sorry…I normally like animals. And I don't mind the cursing at all. Oh, and I've been grounded for a month, so technically, I'm not on here ) AureliaMalfoy, PP Ruffie, Randomised (Heh, yes, but I have a reason for the eye-rolling thing. What would you say if someone's eyes got stuck to the top of their head? And the British words are actually a product off mass boredom and random Internet searches into slang dictionaries. My mind is very complex…so…I really do indiscriminate things…) preciousonee, youngwriter56, splatethy (I spent hours trying to pronounce that), katie (let's pretend the Ministry skipped over her, ok?) Snitchley (she's not bumped up a year, she's just taking a few advanced classes. I needed scenes where they were both in the same classroom, and this way works out best. And about the broomstick, those things are much smarter than people actually think, you know.)

Disclaimer: I've seen HBP. I've read it. Who but JKR could write like that?

fighting with the right shrub

issalee

Ginny Weasley stomped down the stairs, muttering under her breath about stupid brothers and stupid guys and stupid world and stupid everything in general. She had realized halfway to the Slytherin dorms that she couldn't possibly stay with Draco. He was—Malfoy, and that was enough to send her flying.

"Going somewhere?" Luna appeared, pirouetting dreamily down the stairs in front of her. "I heard you were moving out; Ronald is furious."

Ginny nodded absently, an idea forming in her head. "Yes, yes. Luna, could you do me a favor? I'm going to be staying in that room you showed me a while back. Can you find Malfoy, and bring him there? Don't let anyone see you, ok?"

Luna nodded, her eyes widening even more. "Oh, I knew you'd understand that Draco was the person, Ginny! Shall I bring Tessa, too?"

Ginny decided against it. "No, I'll find her myself. And I'll get Colin later too, but for now, you just bring Malfoy, ok?"

But Luna was gone, walking with a grace that belied her vague nature. Ginny shook her head and hurried to the Slythindor Room. When she got there, she was surprised to note that Godric and Salazar were smiling. Last time, they had merely looked thoughtful.

She shrugged away the idea that they had changed, and pushed back the tapestry, opening the door so quickly, she didn't see the words written above the entrance. With speed that she normally would never use for such a thing, she quickly unpacked all her possessions and settled the trunk at the foot of the bed.

She surveyed the room, and smiled as she saw the door to the bathroom. She peeked inside and let out a whoop of joy. Marble bathtub, and shower, all white.

She had just flopped down in one of the beanie bag chairs and started reading a book called Watching the World Go By: A Book Of Time Spells, when Luna walked in, a slightly miffed Draco Malfoy behind her.

"What is it now, Weasley? Couldn't keep away from me for too long?" he drawled. Ginny shut the book and stood, arms crossed.

"Shut it, Malfoy. I invited you here because I have a favor to ask of you." He eyed her warily, and smirked.

"You just told me to shut it. And why do I owe you?" Ginny calmly flicked some hair from her face.

"You disturbed me with that book of yours. I may never be able to sleep again." She watched as he scowled darkly.

"What will people say? I'm Draco Malfoy, I'm a God in my own rights, and I don't think many people will take kindly to the fact that I'm helping you out. What is it you need done anyway?" She explained.

"No. Absobloodylutely not. I would be murdered in my bed!"

"Please?" She begged, and she and Draco didn't notice Luna leaving the room, humming the theme song to Rugrats. "Think of how angry it would make Ron! Think of it!"

"Not for all the diamonds in the world." He said stubbornly, crossing his arms over his chest. "It just can't happen, Weasley, and besides, you're staying here anyways, so why not tell them that."

"Because I already announced it to the whole Gryffindor common room, which means that the whole school will know in about twenty more minutes, and also because no one can know about this room! Salazar Slytherin and Godric Gryffindor met in here, it's like a sacred place, and Luna renovated it. She, I, you, and maybe Dumbledore are the only people who know about it." Ginny finished, her eyes slightly teary.

Draco studied her, his gray eyes never wavering, and she wondered what he was thinking. After a long, long moment, his shoulders slumped a little.

"I'm shrinking your trunk so I can bring it to my room, and some of your things too. If anyone asks me where you are, I'll say I have no idea, and that you like to go wandering. I suppose you'll have to make a few appearances and go in sometimes, but after a while the whole issue will fade—"

He was cut off as Ginny flung herself on him, squeezing the life from him. "Ooh! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She leaned back, eyes sparkling. "You're not such a bad Mal-Ferret after all."

He looked surprised. "You know French?"

"What was French?" She scowled. "I hate the French." Draco smirked, in a way she immediately didn't like.

"Mal-Ferret. Mal in French means bad, so you're saying bad ferret. I never even thought of it until now, as you started after your brother and Potty, and they can't pronounce words for their lives."

Ginny took a moment to absorb it all, opened and shut her mouth a few times, then sighed. "Oh, damn it all to hell. Do you have an owl?"

"Why are you asking?" he said, a little suspicious. She shrugged.

"I don't have one, and I need to send a message out to Colin and Tessa about where I am." As his look, she put her hands on her hips. "Not everyone's a rich fool, Malfoy. We have a family owl, Errol, but he's too old. Ron's got pig—"

He snorted. "Pig? He's gotten swine as a pet?" She hit him on the arm, and as he rubbed at it ruefully, she explained.

"Short for Pigwidgeon, the name Ron picked for his bird. Now, Fred and George have two owls, also twins, called Fledge and Torque. Don't ask me on that. Bill's got an owl called Shea, and Charlie uses doves. Mum and Dad aren't exactly very happy with my behavior all the time, so I don't have one yet."

Draco looked thoughtful. "Shame. I'll send mine down in a moment, if I can leave?" She nodded, and he smiled, a real one. "You shock me sometimes, Red."

"It's NOT Red!"

"Ginevra, then."

"I love Red. Red is beautiful. It makes me fell all tingly inside." He laughed, and walked out, leaving a fuming Ginny behind. She soon calmed down though, and returned to her book. Moments later, a sleek black owl with glowing red eyes appeared, scaring her so badly she was actually scrambling over the bed and preparing a spell before she realized it for what it was.

Draco's owl flew onto her hand and held out a leg, where a message was tied with black ribbon. As she stroked the owl's head, Ginny removed the note and read it.

Ginevra, (she growled)

This is my owl, Psyche. She doesn't like many people, so f she nips you, you can't say I didn't warn you. Send your messages, give her a treat (if you have all your fingers) and she'll be on her way.

The Bad Ferret

Ginny looked to the owl, which was nuzzling her hand affectionately. Psyche certainly seemed nice enough. "You're not bad, are you darling?" It hooted, and flew over to the mantle over the fireplace, where it fluffed itself up and waited.

Ginny took a piece of parchment from her bag and a quill, then sat down at the glass table and wrote out a quick letter.

Colin, Tessa,

I'm in this room that Luna showed me a while back. I call it the Slythindor room, and it was where Godric and Salazar spent their times when Hogwarts was first made. Luna renovated it, so it's really cool. I'm using Malfoy's owl at the moment, her name's Psyche. He said she bites, but I don't think she does, at least, not me. To get here, I'm going to place a linking charm on your wands. Don't bring anyone else. And I'm not staying with Malfoy, so no worries, but we have to make others believe that I am. While you're here, I'll tell you about our next Objective, ok?

Ginny

She called Pysche over, and using the same black ribbon tied it to the owl's leg. "I would've thought him to get a male, you know, assert his manliness." Ginny mused. Psyche nipped her affectionately and after hearing where she was supposed to go, flew off. Ginny took her wand from her jean pocket, and flicked it almost lazily in the air.

"Bond us," she whispered, concentrating on Colin and Tessa's wands. A moment later, she spoke the words in her mind, and light blue sparks flew from the end of the baton. Satisfied, Ginny leaned back.

She didn't have to wait long before the door burst open, and her two best friends rushed in, breathless and red-faced. She opened her mouth to speak but Colin was next to her in a moment, with a hand over her mouth. She cast him a glare, but froze as she heard voices.

"…Are you sure you saw them?"

"Yes, Ron, can we go now, please? Ginny'll be fine, she'll come back on her own."

"Hermione, you don't understand, she's my sister! She could be hurt! And I saw that owl, it's definitely Malfoy's."

"Then why did they come by here?"

"Harry's right Ron. Why would it come by here? The Slytherin dungeons are ages away."

"I don't know, a shortcut or something! Come on, let's go. I want to find her and scream at her till she gets it through her skull, she's not privy to do such things."

The voices faded, and Colin looked at Ginny fearfully, expecting an outburst. Instead he found her eyes following Psyche, who had followed them in, as the great owl flew around the room.

"Someday he'll get over it." Ginny said dismissively. Tessa and Colin pulled up chairs next to her.

"You said you have the next Objective all planned out?" Tessa said eagerly. "Tell us! And tell us about what happened when Malfoy was here too!"

Ginny did, and by the time she was finished, her fire had burned low. She glanced at her wristwatch and frowned. "It looks like it's time to go, guys. See you in the morning."

"Wait." Tessa motioned to Colin, and he took a light blue flyer from his pocket. Ginny took it, and read:

We've Done It Again!

Hogwarts is canceling its annual Halloween Feast, in favor of an annual Halloween Costume Ball. Students are encouraged to make their own costumes, and a reward will be given out to the most ingenious ones.

And another surprise!

We are sponsoring a trip to fellow wizarding school, Beaxbatons in France. We will be staying for only a weekend, and it shall take place on the second weekend in November. Forms have already been sent out to parents. For any questions, please take it up with your Head of House.

Ginny was wheeling in surprise. A whole weekend away from school! And she had an idea about that costume ball too…

"What do you think?" Tessa was looking at her anxiously. Ginny didn't disappoint. She jumped onto the bed, and began jumping up and down.

"I LUUUUUUURVE THE FRENCH! VIVE LA FRANCE! LA BELLE, BELLE FRANCE!" She shouted, and soon had Tessa and Colin jumping with her. Psyche gave them a look that clearly said she didn't understand them, ruffled her feathers, and perched herself onto a chair corner, where she promptly fell asleep.

Forty-five minutes later, a very giddy trio kicked their way out of the Slythindor room, and skipped down the deserted hallway. Doubtless it had something to do with the bottles of Firewhiskey Ginny had gotten the house-elves to bring them.

"Sur le pont d'Avignon, l'only danse, l'only danse, surt le pont d'Avignon, l'only danse tout en rond!" Considering that was the only French song they knew, and they didn't know the other verses (or at least, Ginny and Colin didn't) they sang that loudly and with zest.

"May I ask what you're doing, Reeve, Creevey, Weasley?" The group turned as one to see Snape leering at them, apparently on his way to somewhere. Nodding sagely, Ginny whispered loudly to her friends.

"He's having a lover's spat."

Snape turned a brilliant shade of red. "Miss Weasley! Would you like a detention for every night of this school year and the next?"

Tessa sidled up to him. "Oh, Sevvy, you must be happier. I think you need a Cheering Charm or twp."

"I'll do it!" Colin hiccupped, fumbling with his wand. Ginny had hers out too, just as Tessa took hers from her robe.

"Now, just a minute here!" Snape began, but he couldn't say anything more after a sunshine yellow beam of light hit him square in the chest, one from each wand. Ginny stared blankly at the fallen man, who lay sprawled on the ground.

"He fell asleep!"

"Tha's not nice," Tessa slurred, then immediately collapsed. Ginny hoisted her onto her shoulder and looked incredulously down at her friend. "We only had a shot glass' worth. Wonder what she'll be like at the ball."

Colin put up four fingers. "It's in three days. She has three days to build up a topple-rinse."

"A what?"

"A togger-dense."

"Hmm?"

"A toffer—toffle—muffle—crotchelle—miffle—piffle—IMMUNITY TO THE DRINK!" He finally shouted, then promptly clapped two hands over one ear and ran screaming down the hallway.

Ginny looked after him a moment, shrugged, the walked in the direction they had been heading before, humming "Alouette" under her breath. When she got to her destination, she dropped Tessa like a log, knocked sharply on the door, and ran down the hallway. She hit the wall behind her first, so it took her a moment to disappear.

Moments later, Blaise Zabini opened the door of the Head Boy's room and peered down at the bundle at his feet. He looked around the corridor, but found nothing, and stepping out, he picked Tessa up and walked back in.

Draco was lounging in the chair by his desk, drinking something when he saw Blaise walk back in. "Who was it?" Seeing the girl in his friend's arms, he smirked. "These little girls will do anything to get with me."

Blaise gave him an unreadable look. "If they're little girls, then you're a pedophile. And it's Reeve, it looks like she got drunk."

"I bet you forty Galleons the girl Weasel and Creevey are close behind."

"Shut up." Blaise shook his head. "I'm taking her to my room, ok? Sleep tight, Draco." He walked out after that, leaving the blond to look at the door for a moment.

Draco took another swig of his drink and shook his head. "He's fallen hard, that one."

"Die, heathens…!" Ginny awoke to the sound of something falling over, and a clanging headache. Moaning a little, she sat up to find herself in bed. Someone was cursing violently and she tried groggily to clear her eyes.

"Ah! Ginny!" Luna's wide eyes looked frantically to her from under the table. It was one of the few times Ginny saw emotion from her, and it startled her to full awareness.

"Luna? What's going on?"

There was a screech, and the girl yelped and ducked her head even further under the table. "How many are there, Ginny? I can hear only one, but there are more, I'm sure of it! Nothing else could fight like that!"

Suppressing a grin, Ginny held out her arm. Psyche hooted shrilly as she landed on it, and if looks could kill, Psyche's would have had Luna writhing in a pool of blood.

"I think you startled her, Lu. She may have thought you were an enemy."

Luna glared, but it was a muted one as she crawled out from the table. "Don't call me Lu. It sounds like a boy's name. I just came to tell you, the Chizpurfles hidden somewhere in the school got loose last night."

Ginny raised an eyebrow in a shockingly good impression of Draco. She'd heard from Salazar about the little beasts. "Yes? And what does this mean to me?"

Luna was back in her serene world. "They feed off of magic, you know? And they got rid of all of the magic in the trees outside, so now every single leaf has turned to fall colors and fluttered to the ground."

Ginny's eyes widened to match Luna's. "So this means…?"

Luna suddenly got what seemed like a wicked gleam in her eye. "Leaf War. I'll go find some Ravenclaws; they may not listen to me," she made a vague motion with her hand. "But if I can find Justin's girlfriend, Elsren—"

"Elsa," Ginny said absently. "She hates her full name."

"So if I can find Elsren, they'll listen to her." Luna said pointedly. She detested nicknames and last names, and only Ginny was exempt from this rule. "Let's make it school wide this time, please?"

Ginny pursed her lips, clambering out of bed and in the process having Psyche swoop away and onto the mantle. "There are House rivalries to think about."

"They'll get over it." Luna's eyes were pleading. "Please? You can have the whole area for twenty minutes before, and however long you want afterwards. By then Elsren and I will have explained the rules, and maybe Justin will help too."

Ginny was silent for a moment, before finally letting her shoulders droop. "Fine. I'm calling Tessa down, if I can find her, and Colin too for those twenty."

But Luna was gone, beaming in anticipation of Inter-House unity. Ginny sighed, wrote a quick letter to Colin and Tessa, gave it to Psyche and walked into the shower to get ready.

The great owl soared through the open window, calling its news of good tidings in the school to animals in the Forbidden Forest. It dawdled a bit at Hagrid's hut, where it hooted to Fang the dog that she felt big things happening. Fang growled back that the bird would have to be a gormless oik not to know that. Psyche nipped him affectionately in the ear before taking off, her wide wings flapping as she made her way to Draco Malfoy's window.

It was closed, which meant she had to spent a while tapping on it before Draco himself opened the window. She gave him a bite, as if to say he shouldn't have her waiting, and he tsk-ed as he took her inside his room. Blaise was sitting at the desk, and the shower was running in the bathroom. It shut off just as Draco sat down at his bed.

"You were gone a long time," he commentated. "Doubtless hunting."

Psyche swiveled her head this way and that, before flying away and back out the window. Draco leapt up. "Be back by lunch! I may need you for something!" He sat back down, a scowl on his face. "Bloody owl."

It was then that Draco noticed the note, and unraveling the ribbon, read it silently, the looked to Blaise. "It's from the girl Weasel. She's writing to Reeve, so I can assume either she or Psyche knew where Reeve was."

Blaise shrugged. "Not in my place to know. Why is she writing?"

"Something about a Leaf War." Draco said indifferently. "I don't know. Maybe we'll follow, see what it's about." Blaise was about to protest when Tessa came out of the bathroom, drying her hair with her and a light blush sprinkling her cheeks.

"Sorry again about the inconvenience," she said. "If I know anything, I'm sure it's Ginny who dumped me out there, and after practically forcing Firewhiskey down my throat too!"

Draco ignored the comment and showed her the letter. Tessa read it, a smile spreading slowly across her face. "I've got to go, thanks again though!"

Blaise looked at her in a way that suggested her wasn't happy. "Why the sudden need to leave?"

Tessa's grin broadened. "Nothing, nothing, but I suppose you'll find out soon enough. It's something Gin, Colin and I invented a year back. It's awesome fun, and it looks like Luna's convinced Ginny to hold a school wide one."

"Psyche seemed like she was carrying big news," Draco said reflectively. Tessa grimaced.

"Psyche's your owl right? She practically tore my head off, along with Colin's! And then there's Ginny, with the owl nuzzling her like there's no reason to get so fussed up about anything." In the end, Tessa was pouting, and Blaise was casting her sidelong glances. Draco was startled, to say the least.

"Psyche doesn't like anyone but me!" He started, but Tessa had already waved another goodbye and rushed out. Draco sat only a moment before standing up and going for his cloak.

"Shall we follow?" Blaise was already at the door.

"Following we shall do indeed."

Ginny was standing by the lake, beside huge piles of leaves. With barely suppressed glee, she flicked her wand in a looping motion, and the piles soared into the sky. A moment later, Psyche landed on her shoulder.

"Given the letter to Colin and Tessa?" Ginny said softly. The owl angled her head, and held out her foot. Ginny took the letter and read it quickly, then sighed. "Colin's incapacitated, having fallen down a flight of stairs in his drunkenness. He's in the Hospital Wing, for God's sake, with a broken leg!" She petulantly informed the owl.

"Stupid of him, right?" Tessa appeared next to her. She had apparently visited the common room because now she had a bright scarf wrapped around her shoulders and a green and white beanie on her head to match Ginny's.

Ginny was wearing brown cargos and a jacket with a scarf, and she smiled as she replied. "Very. We'll visit him later. Now, shall we get started?" Neither of them noticed the two boys sitting in the branches of a tree and watching carefully. Tessa nodded, and they moved back.

Psyche, sensing danger to herself, flew up and away. "Wands out!" Ginny cried. "Face enemy and—go!"

There was a burst of light, and a pile of leaves flew and hit Ginny straight in her stomach. Considering its size, it was no surprise that she flew backwards and fell. There was a pause, before her head emerged, laughing.

"Ooh, you're gonna die now!" And the battle began in earnest. There was no more light, and the two relied on stealth and other forms of camouflage to stay hidden until they could attack.

"Hesai!" Ginny called suddenly, as at one point Tessa whirled to face her. Several piles began to speed from behind the dark-haired beauty, who turned, planted her feet firmly in the ground, and mumbled "Riuti!" The leaves formed a huge column, rising into the sky.

The column began to spin, and spin, until it was nothing more than a whirlwind of leaves and dust and grass. Ginny and Tessa made as if to run, but the whirlwind caught them. Draco and Blaise, hidden in the tree, hung on for dear life.

Suddenly, the cyclone slowed, and spread gently on the ground as a barricade of leaves. There was a long, long pause, then—

Ginny burst from the leaves, dancing madly as Tessa followed. The leaves started up again, but this time whirling into the sky and falling back down, over and over again, like rain.

Ginny laughed as she and Tessa darted between trees, throwing piles at each other until they collapsed, giggling and red-faced. The two girls joined each other in the middle of the clearing, and sat down, chattering gaily until others arrived for the school wide fight.

Ginny sat up and looked into the trees. "Malfoy, Zabini, if you'd care to join us down here so we can start this thing, I'd appreciate it greatly."

Draco dropped down, followed by Blaise. The blond looked a little quizzical. "How did you know we were up there?"

Ginny waved an airy hand. "There are no leaves on the trees, silly, and I saw the branches shaking even after the piles had subsided." Draco grinned, and her stomach did a little flip. He sidled up next to her and put an arm about her waist, drawing her closer. Neither of them seemed to mind the fact that the people who had come were watching.

"And that," he breathed into her ear, "That is why you fascinate me so, Ginevra." He drew back a little, and seeing the glazed look in the redhead's eyes, he smiled roguishly. Several girls in the crowd sighed.

"Ginny!" The two drew apart quickly, although Draco offered a sneer as Hermione, Ron, and Harry came rushing towards them, Hermione having spoken first. She looked remarkably upset, and drew Ginny aside quickly.

A grin lit her face as soon as they were far enough away, ruining the effect of anger. "Is he a good kisser, Gin? I've always heard he was…"

Ginny looked scandalized. "Hermione!"

The bushy-haired girl rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on, I've known for a while now that he's not that bad a guy, I even had a crush on him back in fifth year!"

"Hermione!"

The older girl seemed to ignore her. "But it's just, you shouldn't be showing PDA so much, it might kill Ron and Harry, they still need some getting used to the idea. Of course, anything behind doors I perfectly ok…have you two shagged yet?"

"HERMIONE!"

Hermione finally caught Ginny's eye and had the gall to look vexed. "What? It was only a question, Gin, and I'm very sure I should be allowed to know. You're too young for that anyway, and I need to know, do you use pro—"

Ginny had clamped a hand over her mouth. "We have not shagged, or even kissed, because we are NOT going out!" she hissed. "Malfoy was just being a git back there, no big deal. Harry and Ron shouldn't get their knickers in a twist!"

Hermione mumbled something, before Ginny had the sense of mind to remove her hand. "Sorry, Gin, but you looked every inch the couple with him there. You two would be so beautiful too—" She stopped abruptly at Ginny's look. "Of course, only if you wanted it to happen. But just be careful, most of the school was watching, ok?"

Ginny smiled and linked arms with the girl. "Of course, 'Mione. What are you doing for this Halloween thing?"

Hermione blushed. "Ron and I—we're going together. Me as a doxy, and him as a ghoul." Ginny smiled, and it stayed on her lips even as they ended up in the middle of a full-blown verbal onslaught between Ron and Draco.

"Oh, and I suppose I'm not qualified enough for your sister?" Draco was saying. Ron was absolutely livid with rage.

"Of course not! You're a bloody Slytherin, and she's a Gryffindor! And you're a Malfoy, for Merlin's sake!"

"He carries the name, Ronald, not the whole piffle." Ginny interrupted. "Didn't we talk about this last night? We are Weasleys. Right?" Her brother nodded slowly, and she continued to speak as thought talking to a small child. "And Weasleys are supposed to be poor, but didn't Dad prove everyone wrong when he pulled through with that promotion? Ron, we're only still staying in the Burrow because after me, Mum and Dad have the whole place to themselves!"

He eyed her warily. "And?"

She sighed. "And it means that just because you carry a name doesn't mean you have to carry the characteristics." She cast a glance at Draco. "Although this one got far before he actually realized that."

Draco made a face, and then let the tiniest smile creep across his face. Ginny smirked and turned back to Ron, who had seen the whole exchange and was now red in the face. "So be good, Ron, and maybe I'll consider moving back in."

Tessa had drawn the crowd's attention away from the group and walked back over to them, smiling inanely. "They're briefed. This is gonna be fun, and we want it to last, so let's get going."

Ginny hung back with Harry as the group floated away. "What do you think?" she said, knowing somehow that the raven-haired boy knew exactly what she was talking about.

"He's changed." Harry said. "But I'm keeping an eye on him. Be careful, ok Gin?" She smiled widely.

"Aren't I always?"