The sun was setting; everyone was either in the Great Hall or just arriving. Ginny Weasley and her friends had been there for some time. They were working on a Charms essay assigned that day, due in a week. Actually, Ginny was gazing out a window not disturbed until her friend caught her attention by speaking rather loudly.

"You know Gin a guy won't fancy you if you can't even pay attention OUTSIDE of class," this remark caught the attention of several people surrounding the group. Mostly they were boys who had expressions saying, 'Yes we would.'

Ginny jumped at the sound of her friend's voice. "Oh sorry, we were writing something right? Damn you've finished it haven't you?" All the girls had looks of interest on their faces. Their eyes weren't on Ginny, but on the people who had just walked through the door. It was Draco Malfoy with Pansy Parkinson hanging on his arm.

"Hey Gin! You know none of the teachers have arrived yet? You could sneak a curse over to that slag. You know, get revenge." Her friend was referring to getting revenge for when Pansy and her gang of Slytherins were taunting a few first-years, and Ginny was making her rounds as she saw this, she is a Prefect. She rounded on them and in the midst of telling them off Pansy hit her with a curse.

"I would do it, but I doubt Malfoy'd let me near her," the bitterness in her voice was obvious. She had hated both of them. Probably Pansy more than Malfoy, but as a member of the Weasley family she was expected to hate Malfoys the most. Ron however took family rivalry to a new level. He loathed Malfoy and all of the other gits in Slytherin.

"Get Harry to get him," Harry was the one who helped Ginny out of the tight spot. Hermione accompanied him. Whenever Hermione made her Head-Girl patrols Harry would go with her. Everyone was glad they had got their relationship out of the open.

"I wouldn't like to trouble him," truth was that Harry would kill Draco if he heard Draco was disturbing Ginny. Harry and Ginny had gone out, but it was too weird because Ginny was like Harry's sister. When Harry and Hermione started to go out they asked for Ginny's blessing. She thought it was so cute since it was Harry's idea.

Her friends wouldn't hear of it, but before they could protest aloud an awful shriek came from across the room. They all turned to see Pansy Parkinson with a huge pimple on her forehead, holding a letter in front of her. At first it appeared to be a horn, but sure enough it was a pimple. The laughter in the Hall was great. Almost everyone thought it was funny. Of course the Slytherins had nothing to say. It was until Ginny's pals made a connection from the letter to the pimple to Ginny. All of Ginny's friends looked from Pansy back to Ginny. They knew she had sent the curse. And apparently so did Pansy.

"I'll get you for this Weasley. I'll make you pa-," she was cut of by a curse Ginny sent flying towards her. When Pansy opened her mouth, to obviously say the curse was not affective, all that came out were bubbles. The Hall roared with laughter, even Malfoy and a few Slytherins managed a grin. Pansy noticing Malfoy grinning, tried to yell at Ginny. Instead of curses coming out, the Great Hall was filled with bubbles.

"That's a big improvement. I'd like to see you hex your way out of there, Parkinson." All the laughing turned slightly more into cheering. Almost alls girls hated Pansy; few were lucky enough to have never met her. Ginny would have stayed and laughed at Pansy, but realized the time and got up. The thing that amused her most was that Pansy flinched when Ginny got up thinking Ginny was going to attack again. Ginny instead got her things all gathered up, and then Ginny was off, she had work to do and not enough time to do it.

The library was quiet except from the shushing Madame Pince was giving out. She had her eye on a group of second-year boys huddled closely. Ginny was working on her essay. She was reading a book when a dark shadow crept over her. She looked up to see the very same boy she had seen escorted Pansy in the Great Hall.

Expecting a telling-off Ginny was quite surprised to hear him ask her something, "You finished with that book?" His eyes weren't looking at her, but surveying the library.

"No, now shove off."

"Oh Weasley I think you've hurt me."

"If only I could," she was tired and Draco was just delaying her from finishing up and going to bed. "Tell you what come see me in, oh let's say, 10, 15 minutes and I'll be finished."

"Stop screwing around, I NEED that book!" He was fuming, but he couldn't let her get him too angry.

Ginny's brow raised, she was very suspicious. "You've covered these charms so you'll have to wait. Anyway why do you need them?"

"My business is my own, but if you say I have to wait I'll wait." with that he plopped down on the chair opposite Ginny, staring at her.

Ginny felt his eyes on her and put down the book. "Well I'm sorry, but unless I have the right motivation I might not be able to finish in time."

It took him a few seconds to realize what she meant. At first, he thought she was coming on to him. He shivered at the thought. He knew she was as stubborn as a mule, just like her brother. "I am just having trouble in Charms, that is all."

'That is not bloody-well all and you very well know it,' Ginny thought. "Get a tutor, don't make it my problem. I already have too much trouble with your git-of-a-girlfriend."

"A Malfoy, have a tutor? No way, my family wouldn't allow it."

"Meaning no one wants to bare your company?"

"Your one to talk. You need the book as well."

"I have an excuse: I am just learning the stuff. Unlike you, you're just too proud to ask anyone to help."

Malfoy knew a challenge anywhere. Though, it was not apparent to the challenger. He turned his head to scan the room to look for any wondering eyes or extended ears. He found none. "If you're so smart then you tutor me."

"What?" Ginny was completely taken aback. 'Where did this come from? He is off his rocker.'

"We'll make it a bet. If you can get me to pass charms, with respectable grades, I'll keep Pansy off your back. If you lose then you have to admit I am smarter than you." He stuck out his hand waiting for Ginny to grasp it. His eyes flickered as she hesitated.

Ginny did not know where her next actions came from, but the words were out of her mouth before she could stop herself, "Fine." She gripped his hand. Expecting a brutal force on her tiny hand she felt a soft squeeze and then he let go.

Malfoy got up and then sarcastically bowed to Ginny and walked out.

'If he does that in the halls I hope he doesn't expect me to curtsey. I'll knock his head off.'

Tossing and turning in her sleep didn't allow Ginny to get much sleep, and she needed it. The next day was Quidditch practice. She gave up on sleep and decided to catch an early breakfast. She wasn't the only one who decided to do so. As she entered the Great Hall she saw both the Gryffindor and Slytherin Quidditch teams dressed. At the head table Professors McGonagall and Snape were eyeing each other with looks of anger, though it was well concealed. She saw each team huddled together whispering.

"Oi Ginny!" shouted one of the chasers loudly. This call turned many heads. Mostly people who wanted to see who was being shouted at, but the Gryffindor team looked up. Ginny noticed two heads look up from the Slytherin table. Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini. Both of them had a large grin on their face. She walked over to her team and was pulled into the discussion.

"To put it shortly, we have to share the pitch with Slytherin today." Harry wasn't looking too pleased.

There was not uproar, but just the simple question, "why?"

"Well Dumbledore says to promote inter-house friendship, and since we share the pitch when we play. My guess is there was a mix-up with booking the pitch and McGonagall and Snape left it to Dumbledore to decide." Just then there was uproar at the spot where the Slytherin team sat. As the Slytherin team all swarmed Draco all the girls on the Gryffindor team laughed, all that is except for Ginny. When Draco looked up and he made eye contact with her, but it was broke when Blaise japed him hard in the ribs. Everyone saw the staring and started to round on Ginny.

"It's nothing, we just have a bet going on."

The rush of the wind through her hair felt like freedom. The only thing that could spoil her moment happened. The Slytherin team came onto the pitch. Harry went over to Malfoy to talk about the arrangements.

"Malfoy."

"Potter."

"Well what side do you want," Ginny and Ron came to the ground and stood at either side of Harry. The beaters were behind Harry, and the remaining chasers were hovering above them throwing around the quaffle.

"We get the south side and you get the north."

"Fine then, but no bludgers headed towards my team and no tackling."

"You sound like Hooch. Just keep your team away from ours." With that Malfoy turned to Ginny and gave her the same bow he had given her in the library. "Have a nice day."

Harry looked down at Ginny and said, "Part of your 'bet'?"

Blushing madly she nodded. They all mounted their brooms and sent off in the air. Ginny and the rest of the chasers were zooming around passing the quaffle to one another, and trying to trick Ron by getting the quaffle passed him. He let it pass twice out of 7 shots. Ginny, who glanced often at the Slytherins, saw Malfoy point at her and whisper with that friend of his Blaise Zabini.

"Gin, you and the other chasers practice difficult movements. You know loops, dives, and whatnot. Ron, you and me are going to practice with the beaters by chucking balls at them. Then you, Ron, can throw a tennis ball around so I can catch it." The team understood their assignments. The practice was going very well. Then, all of a sudden, Ginny heard a yelp of pain coming from the Slytherin side of the pitch and stopped in mid-air. Before she could get away Blaise Zabini came crashing into her. Ginny of course was okay, but Blaise was bleeding. Badly.

"Harry! Help, I think he is knocked out," she shouted across the pitch. She slowly descended. She sat down on her knees, with Zabini on her lap. His eyes were open but his face was emotionless. She was scared, truly scared. At that moment, someone lifted Blaise off of her. Ginny looked up expecting to see Ron or Harry, but instead she saw Draco with Zabini over his shoulder.

"Sorry, but I can't bow to you I am afraid he'll fall off." He was enjoying embarrassing her in front of everyone. Though the prospect of Malfoy bowing to her again in front of everyone was ill, she laughed at his attempt at a joke.

She lend to his ear and said rather loudly, "Bow to me again and I'll hex your legs off."

"Tempting."

It was 8:30 at night, and he was late. Ginny knew he'd pull a stunt like this. She was sitting in the room of requirements on a pile of pillows. There were books, empty boxes, feathers, two tables made of oak, and even an assortment of small animals. The room had everything to practice Charms.

"Well you showed I'll give you that much," a voice rang throughout the room. Ginny let out a gasp. She turned in every direction and saw no one there. "You're not scared, are you?" It was Draco's voice.

"Take off the cloak or no deal," she was smarter than him. She knew he had an invisibility cloak because he would always brag how expensive of a gift it was.

"Well you've spoiled my fun." He was leaning on the bookcase, his face half covered in shadow. "So what are we doing today?"

"YOU are gonna try to banish pillows." She went over to the spot she was sitting and took the piece of paper she was writing on. "Here these are proper instructions."

He took the paper, read it, then picked up a pillow and placed it on the long wooden table and tried to banish it. Instead, he banished the box he wanted the pillow to go into. He felt his hand being lowered so that it was level with the pillow. A small whisper came into his ear. "You're aiming at the box when you want to be aiming at the pillow. Remember, position yourself so when you banish the pillow it goes straight." he turned around as Ginny let go of his hand.

Ginny had nothing to do so she set herself up and try to practice summoning charms. It was going fairly well. Draco hadn't hurt someone or broken anything, yet. Then, just as he pointed his wand and spoke the incantation, he slipped and his spell sent Ginny flying.

She landed in the pile of pillows, but her head banged hard against the wall. Draco walked over to her and lifted her head. "Hm. You've quite a bump now." He didn't show any signs of apologizing. He put one of his hands on her wrist and the other around her waist. With one pull she was up and on her feet. When she was balanced she pulled away from him she almost slipped. He was still holding her helping her balance herself. "Your welcome."

"Shove it. It's your fault I got hurt." At that moment Draco took a second to think about what she said.

"Right then," with that he let go of her. Which was a mistake because she lacked proper support and fell immediately. She landed hard on her backside. Draco walked over to the pillows and began to banish them.

"Fine then, be that way." Got up and was heading over to her pile of pillows that were stacked because she summoned so many, and started to banish them. After a while Ginny said that she had to go and that Draco could stay there if he wanted to. As she walked out of the door she said quietly, "Thank you for helping me up."

When she left the room Draco quietly muttered, "Sorry about hitting you with my spell."