Title: Blurred lines

A/U: Starting in Chamber of Secrets Making its way through Ginny's years at Hogwarts; Ginny and Draco's POV.

Rating: M for Violence, Grief and Sexually suggestive content.

TW: First of many (i think) instances of abuse. If u don't wanna see it, u don't have to read it.

Chapter 4: It all comes back around

The days after the incident passed much like the daze that Ginny was used to however this time she was fully conscious through all of it. She knew this because of the skull-splitting headache that had settled in her mind and the thousand-tonne weight pressing down her shoulders by the end of the term. she couldn't help but theatrically sigh and throw her head back on the couch she was studying on. Blaise Zabini to her left; Draco Malfoy to her right and Theodore Nott and Pansy Parkinson on the opposite two-seater couch all doing the same studying just different levels being in different years…

Four months had passed exactly, it being the 25th of May and agonizingly close to the end of the school year although she wasn't exactly thrilled to go home- her reply letter seemed to have fallen upon deaf ears- or at the very least reluctant quills.

"Weasley, you look like an odd mixture of very happy and oh so depressed darling who hurt you?" Theo inquired sarcastically. Ginny was tempted to answer truthfully but decided against it, her new friends didn't need to hear of her petty family squabbles. They were almost always happening. Not to mention petty as she received a plain black sweater rather than a traditional one of her house colours. Had she been placed in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff her Mother would have picked up the respective Blue or Yellow of those houses. She just couldn't bring herself to even bring green and silver items into the house lest they were cutlery.

"Just family drama and this exam will genuinely be the death of me. As if this potion wasn't boring enough we aren't even making it, its just ingredient theory. Which Draco most kindly explained to me." At this, she let out a large yawn and Draco side-eyed her and smirked.

"Oh Draco did, did he?" Theo chirped up looking suspiciously between the two of them, "Was this before or after we came down to the common room and found the two of you asleep looking… Rather close?" Draco's focus didn't waver from his revision whereas Ginny went a little red but shot Theo a look regardless.

"Personally Theo, I haven't a clue what you're talking about." It wasn't Ginny who managed to speak first it was Draco, utterly calm with a smirk on his face. Always smirking it seemed, especially recently. So had Ginny and usually this dig would have sent her into an internal rage but she's spent too long with this trio to think this was anything more than a playful Slytherin dig. "And even if I did have a single fathom of your intentions, you wouldn't be getting shit from me." Ginny gave him a two-fingered salute rose from the black leather sofa bopped Draco lightly on the crown with her book and climbed the flagstone stairs to her dorm.

If there was one thing that hadn't changed, it was the girls. They still didn't talk to her, she still thought they gossiped about her, bickering constantly about her and Draco; "what do you think happened to her in the chamber." "How did Draco end up down there." "Apparently shes the one that petrified all the Mud Bloods." This last comment left her teetering on the edge, but she contained herself at the last second, sat on her bed closed the hangings and cast a silencing charm, it was the best spell she had learned all year…

July 1st on The Hogwarts Express

"Its bloody July why does it feel like a sauna in here?" questioned Blaise as he snapped the window open letting some cool air in as the Hogwarts Express barreled through the Scottish countryside.

"Probably because I'm here," commented Theodore and he got a few snickers for his comment

"That was a cheap shot," replied Ginny trying to stifle a giggle.

"Oh I'm sure Draco is a lot better with words then I am considering you've been having a lot more 'chats' then usual…" Theodore had a mock investigative tone and flicked his eyes between a sighing Ginny covering her smile with her hand and a pensive Draco staring out of the compartment window. "Or maybe hes to enraptured in his own thoughts," finished Theo a little quieter then silence followed; the silence remained for the last hour of the journey.

Arthur was the only one stood at the platform to greet the Weasley children and as Harry was dragged away by the Dursleys she felt like the only thing awaiting her at home would be a trial by fire. It transpired in the car that Mr Weasley didn't want Mrs. Weasley to come to avoid a mid platform meltdown at the Green and Silver emblazoned scarf around her neck. "I'd hide the scarf Ginny," said Mr. Weasley trying to be as neutral as possible. Ginny refused to have it though and kept the scarf on despite looks that could melt steel beams like jet fuel from Ron. She wouldn't give in to her families prejudices.

The winding country roads that lead to Ottery St Catchpole jarred Ginny's spine as they rolled up to the house in the ministry car they were assigned. The Ministry had barely given Mr. Weasley anything more then complaint letters since he got the job according to Mrs. Weasley so them giving the family a whole car fit for 10 was very odd indeed right after he broke about a dozen rules; well after the boys broke about a dozen rules and Mr. Weasley got blamed for it as usual.

She was expecting, more hoping, for pandemonium the moment she walked through the door. Everything was calm however. Even the gnomes were tamer compared to their usual profane selves. This didn't suit Ginny at all; if at least there was an argument she could get all of her feelings out in one continuous burst rather then be forced to keep it inside.

Everything passed just like that. Until the letters were sent.

Draco had said that he thought writing over the summer would be a good idea, he worded it more like it would be a burden but Ginny could if she wanted to but she knew he wanted to so she obliged him. This was her downfall, the downfall of what little relations she had with her family that wasn't shattered by the sudden appearance of Green and silver in the laundry basket and on her notebook.

"Ginny," it was her mother "Can I speak to you for a minute?"

Ginny couldn't relax in Mrs. Weasley's presence anymore and now she was calling her down to talk with her. This didn't bode well in Ginny's head. For her overthinking she was repaid with the notion that she was right to be worried as when she climbed down the stairs and walked into the kitchen a letter addressed to Draco Malfoy lay in front of her on the table. Open.

"Care to explain what this is Ginevra?" Mrs. Weasley asked in the voice Ginny knew all to well as her end-of-fuse voice.

"It's a letter," Ginny replied, nothing scared Ginny much nowadays. Nothing except this voice, hardened, steeled; she couldn't keep the shake out of hers.

"I can see that, its who its addressed to that I'm wondering about," Mrs. Weasley's voice sharpened "Read the letter out Ginny if you please."

Dear Draco,

You didn't sound too enthusiastic when you said I could write to you, but I knew it was all front wouldn't want you to miss me too much. As for me well, it's like living on a razor's edge. I can constantly feel the stare of my Mother at the dinner table, as well as Ron's. Him I can ignore but I just can't stand my Mum right now- her passive-aggressive staring and the way she handles my Slytherin robes makes me want to.

Her heart skipped when she read the next line, it was written in a near-blind rage, it had slipped her mind.

Either throw something at her, run away or both.

The rest of the letter didn't matter, it was just fluff asking him how is holiday had been over the few days since their departure and a bit more complaining. Mrs. Weasley had heard enough to and butt in before Ginny could get a word out even if she had been willing to do so.

"So that's what you think of the whole mistake is it? Assaulting your own Mother then running away," Ginny couldn't quite understand what she was hearing, did she call it a Mistake.

"A mistake? You still think me being sorted into Slytherin was a mistake," Mrs. Weasley tried but failed to butt in this time and Ginny continued fueled by her own steam and the 4 days of being ignored and stepped around like a cancer patient on their death bed. "How can you honestly think me being here is a mistake? You've asked countless times to have me moved and Dumbledore, the most amazing wizard alive today, has denied it. You cant say its because I should have been a Gryffindor and Gryffindor is where I rightfully belong because if I were placed in Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff you wouldn't have said a word, you wouldn't have sent a black bloody jumper instead of one with the house colors." Ginny hadn't sat down because she knew it would escalate but her mother had, however, she wasn't sat any more. She rose up from her seat as Ginny rose her voice speaking the last words she uttered before giving her Mother a chance to argue back and giving herself time to catch her breath.

"Ginevra Weasley, how dare you speak to you own mother like that, you are twelve years of age. Your not old enough to be making decisions like these girl," Ginny's jaw tightened further when she was referred to as girl. "Plotting to throw things at me, run away. Plotting these things, with Draco Malfoy of all people. The very same Draco Malfoy who's Father put that book in your cauldron in Diagon Alley."

"He is not his Father," Ginny managed to get out before being drowned out by more shouting.

"Don't even dream about telling me that you think he is anything other than exactly who his father is," the stress she put on the word dream made her mind set.

"You don't know much do you, not about me, not about Ron or the Twins or Percy. But especially not about me. Don't assume you know what I think, instead try and focus your closed and prejudiced mind on what I know. Draco is not his Father." She didn't shout this, didn't edge any closer. She used the weight of her words and her clipped tone to put Mrs. Weasley back in her seat. And with that, she went back upstairs, the letter still lying on the kitchen table.

She almost had it figured out, it was clear that her Mother was watching what the owls sent as she didn't have one of her own so she would have to try something and thank Merlin she had met Hedwig before everything collapsed around her head.

The friendly white bird landed on her window as she had hoped it had with a reply from Harry. She already knew what it would say, something a long the lines of

Dear Ginny,

I'm sorry but unfortunately I don't know where you might have left your transfiguration textbook I'd owl McGonagall not me.

Her transfiguration textbook was in her trunk what she really needed was his owl who thankfully liked Ginny enough to do what she told her without questioning. Hedwig also didn't have a judgmental predisposition for anything Slytherin related.

She tied the new letter to Hedwig's leg gave her an owl treat and sent her on her way.

If there was any time she needed her newfound Slytherin courage to work, it was now.

July 1st Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire

Draco didn't have the grace of parents that would rather keep the peace and it didn't even take a poorly worded letter to obliterate what little latent peace was in Malfoy Manor. All it took, was a poor grade. Well a grade poorer then that of a Mud Blood.

Draco's father never went to platform 9 and ¾ unless there were important people there. As this was the case most of the time Draco was picked up by his Mother Narcissa Malfoy. Narcissa was much kinder then her husband a tall lady with black hair and streaks of aged silver. She had a kind face when shew was at home, the lack of common rabble put her at ease more, and she always allowed Draco to do things his Father wouldn't allow had he been home. Playing with loud toys as a kid, eating crap and doing nothing of importance but drawing and being a child. However, when Lucius Malfoy was home, she was at his every beck and call. She had no choice, maybe one day long ago was their marriage based around love but over the years it had become nothing more then a formality, to keep blood purity. Being this malleable to Lucius' wishes meant she had to subject her beloved son to whatever her husband had in store for him. With that she had no choice but to relay Lucius' message, "He wants to see you in his study,"

The fear mixed with the fact that he knew exactly what was coming made the blood pound in his ears, he knew exactly what his Father would say, exactly why he was being called in, and exactly what test he made the mistake on. He knew exactly what was coming it had happened so many times but it still scared him.

Draco knocked on the handsome wooden door leading into his Father's study. A short reply came back at him through the wood, "Enter." Lucius didn't let any emotion show through his voice at the best of times, now his emotionless enunciation did nothing to ease his nerves.

"I think you know why you here, Draco." Lucius said not looking up from the parchment he was quilling words quickly onto.

"Arithmancy is her best subject," Draco began but Lucius quickly cut him of with a bark

"Don't give me that Boy, to think my own son could be second to a Mud Blood," With a flick of his want he shut the door with a slam making Draco jump. Lucius stood up, and Draco had to close every facet of his mind. He didn't want to remember anything that happened in that study; nothing at all…

July 5th The burrow

Candlelight flickered on the desk illuminating the parchment laying on the desk, it was from Draco, the first reply she had gotten since her first letter not a week ago. She had gotten worried and was about to send a second letter to make sure nothing had happened in transit but at last, a reply came.

Dear Ginny,

Sorry I haven't replied quickly things have been hectic over here, Father found out I was outclassed in Arithmancy by that Mud Blood Granger. Everything is fine though so no need to worry, you told me that your mail is being watched so ill send my owl down a day or two after I send a letter and you can mail me that way. I heard what your parents said and it was pretty brave of you to stand up to them like that, I would never have been able to.

I hope to hear from you soon (provided you don't get rumbled again)

-Draco.

'Father found out I was outclassed' there was no way that was going to end any way but devastatingly that was probably the reason for the way he looked on the train. He must have known he got a lower grade then Granger and his Father decided to… Decided to punish him for it. Ginny was powerless to stop it as well which made it all the more painful to think about. So she avoided thinking about it. She blew out her candle and opened her window to a cool 3 am breeze. Sleep had been a non factor since the summer had began, barely ever managing more then three hours a night. She had been frequently sliding out of her window and dropping on the roof of the dining extension of the wigwam shaped burrow and sliding off it to get into the broom shed. Taking out a clean sweep and soaring through the air above the burrow and orchard, practicing being a chaser with a quaffle, which had seen better days, and an incredibly rudimentary make-shift goal hoop. Only the one hoop even though there were three of different heights in Quiddich.

Ginny made herself a routine, stand still shooting, weaving through the trees to improve her point turning and reactions, still shooting form a distance and finally ending the day off with the on-the-move goal shots. She had become a quite formidable opponent and made a note to mention to Draco that she wanted to join the Slytherin Quiddich team.

Draco had been in her mind a lot recently, it wasn't pity she was feeling for him, nor why she was thinking about him. He would have hated her to take pity on him. It was just him, what he would think of her wanted to join the Slytherin team, what he would think of her family drama what he was doing at that very moment in time.

At 3 am he was probably sleeping in his lavish four-poster bed without a care in the world. He was Draco Malfoy after all. But Draco Malfoy was also unpredictable…

Lying awake in his bed, Draco kept seeing his Father whenever he closed his eyes and kept re-enacting the scene from his study not 1 week ago. No matter how much he tried to block him out. The slaps still rang in his ears like tinnitus. And the bruises that stained him, were only just now starting to fade.

A/N: I am so very sorry this took so long. I chalk it up to some serious procrastination, College grinding me down with work and assignments, writer's block and some serious inferiority complex issues. This one is also a little shorter.

Again I apologize for making you wait this long, especially some of the people that continue to read every chapter :))) You honestly give me the drive to keep going and I thank all of you very much.