Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Just the plot!

Chapter Four: Would She?

Author's POV with various character's thoughts

Hermione watched in horror as the scene folded out before her. Her mind finally snapped into action. A small purple light glowed at the end of Hermione's wand as she muttered a complex spell under her breath. Lavender gasped as her airway cleared and she could breath again.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as they realized she was okay. But suddenly, green spots appeared on Lavender's throat. And as a shocked look crossed Lavender's face, Dean was the first to react.

"Let's get you to the Hospital Wing," Dean said, slightly confused.

With that, the pair strode out of the Great Hall together leaving the rest of the Gryffindor students dazed and talking about the previous events.

"Did you see those spots?"

"They're ghastly!"

"What happened to her? Is she going to be all right?"

"I dunno, she looked pretty terrible…"

"Bloody hell, that's my girlfriend!" Ron exclaimed in sudden shock. He stood up and rushed out the Great Hall doors, determined to check on his girlfriend.

Hermione stood up as well and followed Ron out the doors, leaving her eggs behind and forgotten.

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As Ron rushed through various staircases and hallways thoughts tumbled rapidly inside his head.

Will she be all right? Am I to blame? I looked ridiculous just sitting there. I should have done something… Where did Hermione even learn that spell? She's too brilliant for her age. Were those spots deadly? At least she's all right now, I hope.

Ron turned a corner as he decided that Lavender would be okay and he really wasn't responsible for what happened. As Ron opened the Hospital Wing doors, preparing to comfort Lavender as long as needed, a scene much to his dislike reached his eyes.

Lavender was on a bed and leaning up to give Dean a kiss.

Ron's anger burst forth before he could even think of controlling it, "What's going on here??! Just when I turn my back you go and make a move on my girlfriend! Want to snog her don't you? Well, sorry to interrupt," he said sarcastically, "but get away from my girlfriend, you pathetic prat!"

Dean quickly opened his eyes and turned away from Lavender as a sudden comprehension of Ron's presence dawned on his features.

"I, uh, it's not, well, uh, you see, I," Dean began, stumbling on his words.

"Ron! Can't I give someone a thank-you kiss? I didn't see you rushing to get me help? Dean here did, and I was just congratulating him," Lavender said coldly as her eyes glared at Ron.

Ron mentally kicked himself for his outburst but still couldn't stop himself from expressing his anger some more.

"Then what am I supposed to think when I walk in and my girlfriend and some guy are snogging?" he questioned, returning Lavender's glare.

"You don't have to jump to conclusions all the time, Ron! Maybe you should try being helpful for once," she spat back.

Dean stood silently beside Lavender's bed, nervously avoiding Ron's eyes.

After a moment or two of silence, as Lavender and Ron continued to stare angrily at each other, Ron finally gained some sense.

"Hope you feel better soon," he said dully.

When Lavender muttered, "See you," he turned on his heel and headed out the Hospital Wing doors.

As Ron walked slowly down the hallway with a moody look on his face Hermione rushed up to him.

"Hey," she panted.

She obviously wanted to catch Ron before he did anything irrational, but from the look on Ron's face, she realized she was too late.

"How was Lavender?" she said, attempting to get some answers out of him.

But all Ron did was sigh as he said glumly, "That didn't go quite as well as I'd planned it."

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Ron and Lavender didn't come to lunch that day. Dean came, with a surprising look of deep embarrassment that confused the Gryffindors. Hermione sat silently at the table, vaguely aware of the conversations around her. The only other person who was imitating Hermione was Ginny. She sat a few people down from Hermione and was lost in thought.

He could have messed up his head when he fell, she thought, looking back on her last encounter with Draco. He surely wasn't himself when we meet. He should've insulted me. It could always be some mean joke he's playing on me. He'd never like a Weasley.

Ginny stole a look over at the Slythern table as she thought about Draco. He was sitting silently with his food and his friends chatting animatedly beside him.

That's strange, she thought, doesn't Draco always chat with his friends? He seems so lonely, so… unlike him.

Ginny turned back to her food and glanced down at the Gryffindor table. Everyone was talking to his or her friends about something or another. Hermione was sitting alone though, without anyone to discuss anything with. She caught Ginny's eye and she quickly looked away in awkwardness.

She saw me gazing at Draco, Ginny thought glumly as she stared at her plate. But Hermione would never tell Ron… would she?

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Was Ginny just staring at Malfoy? Hermione thought as she finished her pumpkin juice. Looking at someone doesn't mean you have to like him. She would never like Malfoy… would she?

She thought over Ginny's actions in her head until she finally came to a conclusion.

Of course not… she'd never like him.

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Over at the Slytherin table, Malfoy was lost in thought about his last encounter with Ginny. Her response to his behavior in the hall the other day was almost as strange as him acting polite to her in the first place.

Why did I act like that? And for a Weasley? he thought.

But Draco couldn't hide the obvious truth; Ginny had certainly grown up over the past few years. She was no longing hiding behind her brother's shadow. Ginny was acting for herself and didn't hang around the trio like a pesky fly anymore. She was a grown woman now, and Draco, along with some other Slytherins, certainly took notice.

But she'd never like a Malfoy, he thought, suddenly hating his family's terrible past. She wouldn't even spare me a chance. She may still have feelings for Potter.

Then his mind replying McGonagall's words said the day before about the spring ball.

The whole point is to 'renew friendly bonds between the houses', Draco thought, surprising himself by how much he actually remembered from her speech. If only I had the guts to go against all odds and ask her to the dance. But Ginny would never like me… would she?

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After Hermione finished her lunch she caught up with Ginny just as she was leaving the Great Hall.

"Hey, Ginny! How about some Quidditch? It's such a delightful day and I could do with some reading. I'll watch you practice, too."

She laughed as she responded, "You and your books, Hermione! But that sounds great! I'll meet you out on the field in a bit once I get my broom."

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Once the two girls were out on the Quidditch field Hermione took her seat in the towering stands while Ginny kicked off the ground and began to fly.

The cool wind blew gently on Ginny's hair as she flew around for a while. Quidditch games were postponed for a while, but that didn't stop the students from bringing their brooms to fly around in their extra time. Ginny loved the way Quidditch made her feel inside and was disappointed to hear that it was canceled this year.

But without Harry, the Gryffindor team really isn't that tough of competition, Ginny thought as she zigzagged around the goal posts.

After a while, the sky gradually grew a bit darker and the girls knew that dinnertime had arrived.

Once Ginny had dismounted her broom and Hermione sadly stopped reading, the two chatted about how odd McGonagall was for planning a dance during the War all the way to the Great Hall.

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Ron arrived in the Great Hall for dinner just as the food appeared. His hungry eyes proved that he had locked himself in his room that day out of frustration for the dilemma between him and Lavender. He gave Dean a quick glare before sitting down beside Hermione and stuffing his face with food. Once Ron was satisfied he asked about Lavender.

"Is she doing okay?" he asked, sounding slightly concerned.

"I heard that she's fine, just resting a bit in the Hospital Wing," Hermione answered.

"Htfs oodb" Ron managed to say through mouthfuls of chicken.

Once he swallowed, he tried again, "That's good."

Hermione shook her head in disgust as she turned back to her food. A few minutes later a few heads turned to the Great Hall doors. When Hermione decided to see what the distraction was, she saw Lavender walking to the Gryffindor table. Everyone smiled and asked her how she was feeling when she sat down across from Ron.

Lavender grinned when she replied, "I'm all right, luckily those spots were just an allergic reaction; that's why I choked in the first place."

When she started eating and chatting with her friends Ron finally got enough nerve to ask her to the dance.

"Oi, Lavender. How about going with me to the spring ball?" he asked with hopeful eyes.

She sighed and looked a bit sad when she responded, "Ron I think me and you need, well… some space. I really don't need someone so overprotective in my life and I think it would do us both good if we just… didn't see each other anymore."

There was a stony silence before Ron spoke, his eyes narrowing in dislike.

"Over protective, am I?" Ron asked, his temper immediately boiling up. Before he could shout his temper anymore, he stood up and left the Great Hall, quickly followed by Hermione.

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Draco watched Ron storm out of the Great Hall, his ears burning red.

Never could control his temper could he? Draco thought, wondering how Ginny could possibly be related to him.

As Draco finished the last of his juice, he excused himself and went off to the Slytherin common room to try and study and maybe even get his mind off of Ginny.

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After a half and hour of pointless studying Draco decided he wasn't remembering anything he read, only how beautiful Ginny's hair looked in the sunlight. That smile she gave him the other afternoon certainly made him feel happier, but a part of him was in denial.

She's a Weasley, for Merlin's sake!

But the other side of Draco, that he kept hidden from many people, fought back.

You know you like her! You just won't admit it because of her family. She's not the only one with a screwed up past! Just look at yourself!

Draco sighed as he gathered his schoolbooks off the table. He put them up in his dormitory while deciding to take a quick stroll around the school before it got too late. As he exited the Slytherin common room and began to walk down the halls his thoughts drifted back to Ginny.

If I had the nerve to ask her, maybe she'd give me a chance. Draco thought. If I just be nice to her and show her the other side of me maybe…

He lost track of time and in a matter of time Draco didn't know where he was in the castle. Her heard muffled voices coming from inside an unused classroom to the right up ahead. Draco decided he could ask them were he was or possibly jinx them if they didn't tell him. It was getting late and Draco was not in the mood for getting caught, reprimanded, and detention. When he opened the door to see the people inside he realized too late that he shouldn't intrude.

Lavender and Seamus were on a table snogging, barely noticing that someone had entered the classroom.

Draco coughed softly, his pale cheeks showing a rosy tinge of embarrassment.

Seamus quickly pulled away from Lavender, immediately studying Draco with apprehension.

"Er, got over Weasley fast, haven't you?" Draco managed in a would-be conversational tone.

Lavender averted her eyes to anything but Draco as Seamus straightened up, as if protecting her.

He replied indifferently, "It's nothing, Malfoy. Go be irritating somewhere else."

Draco was tempted to curse him, but thought against it at the last moment.

"Right," he said with sarcasm and a small sneer. With that, he turned around and walked out of the classroom, leaving Seamus and Lavender alone again.

Draco eventually found his way back to the Slytherin common room around midnight. He luckily dodged some prowling teachers, but came much too close with Mrs. Norris. Once in the common room he climbed the stairs to his dormitory.

Draco flopped on his bed, the past events rapidly circling through his mind. Chicken for dinner, Ron, broke up with Lavender, Ginny's hair, homework, walking, Lavender, with Seamus, snogging, classroom, walking, sleeping…

Just as Draco was beginning to doze off he thought of something that he hadn't thought about in awhile. Lavender wasn't dating anyone any more but Seamus was… he was dating…

"Ginny," Draco murmured in shock.

"What's that mate?"

Apparently Draco wasn't the only one awake at this time of night. He distinctly knew that voice; it was Blaise Zabini, a fellow Slytherin.

"It's nothing. Uh, good night," Draco answered awkwardly.

"'Night," he muttered.

After a while Draco finally drifted off to sleep, dreaming about Ginny and snogging, occasionally muttering her name as he slept.

A/N: All right, after this it is CRAZY! And consider this a "threat"!!… I want at least three new reviewers that I don't know (even though I love my friends reviewing) and then I'll post a new chapter! When things start getting REALLY interesting! loti. Well, I hope you enjoyed it and PLEASE review! There are so many twists coming up but I WANT reviews! So review or no more! Poof!!! TTYL.

3 mucho amore--- ant

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