Disclaimer: I do not own the Harry Potter series. Nope, that's it. End of story. If I did, I'd not be writing fanfic in my pajamas.

Well, what can I say to apease you for my long abasnece? Probably nothing, but here it goes. I'm sorry, forgive me! Life is crazy and gets in the way. I'll try and update more often.

That being said, say hello to the long (very long) awaited chapter seven! Wooo for chapter seven! Yay! Okay, I'll shut up now. Have fun reading!

Without further ado...

Chapter 7

Ginny POV

The rest of the week flew by in a blur. Now three weeks into school, the classes were taking on a harder note. In all but potions I was being prepared for my OWLs. We hit the ground running and there would be no let up, not until these tests were behind us. By that weekend, the weekend we'd deemed to brew the first, unaltered, round of the kissing concoction, I was swamped with homework.

At least the first part would be easy, getting the potion started. I'd offered to do it myself, setting up in a long unused classroom on the fifth floor, but Draco insisted they help, much to Blaise's dismay. It was Friday afternoon and my final class of the day, Transfiguration, had just finished. As I made my way to the classroom we'd already gotten set up, I pulled out the letter I'd gotten from Fred and George earlier this week, instructions for the potion.

I'd read and reread it a dozen times, going over it in my mind trying to figure out ways to make it stronger. I hadn't talked to Fred and George about that yet, I'd wait until I could get them on the Floo and actually talk to them. We'd set up a time for next Wednesday and Professor Slughorn had agreed to let us use his Floo, seeing as we couldn't use just any fireplace in the castle.

It would take a few hours to brew the potion to the halfway point. Like I'd told Draco and Blaise, I'd done it before so it wouldn't be too hard. It was a difficult potion, yes, but with the instructions from Fred and George and prior experience it should go smoothly. Along with the kissing concoction we would have to brew the antidote potion for it, rather than having to wait for it to wear off. That could take days.

Once we got this brewed we'd take it to Professor Slughorn during Potions Monday and he would either approve it or make us brew it again. I knew how to make it though and I knew it would come out fine, so long as we stirred it every hour on the hour for the next two days. It was what came after that I wasn't so sure about.

Altering potions was dangerous business. Even a harmless potion could turn deadly if the wrong ingredient was tampered with. With Fred and George to confer with and that huge book that Draco had bought last weekend at the book shop, I was sure we'd manage not to kill ourselves. It was succeeding that really worried me. We would have to test it on ourselves. If it didn't produce the desired effect the first time we'd have to brew it again and test it again. Only once we were satisfied with the results would we turn it into Professor Slughorn.

Now I knew logically that there was no way Draco would ever let Blaise give him any sort of love potion, or vice versa. I was the only girl in this little group of ours and there was no way around it. I was going to have to be the guinea pig. I may not have to take it myself, but one way or another, I knew I'd end up kissing one of them. The thought made me uneasy. I'd never been kissed before and that's not exactly how I imagined my first kiss would be. But rules were rules and we were not allowed to test our potions on other people.

Pushing the thought aside, for it would be a week or two before I had to deal with that, I finally arrived at the room I'd be spending the next few days in. We'd set it up yesterday evening so we could get right to work today. In the center of the room was a table with a cauldron on it. Arranged around it were all the ingredients we would need for the first half of the potion. The rest, what we would need for the short bit at the end of the potion after stirring it for two days, were in a box under the table.

Draco, thinking ahead, had charmed up a nice big couch so we had somewhere to sit while we waited in between stirring. Blaise however had pointed out that, since it wouldn't be fair to leave just one of us to stir over night and the others go sleep, we should have a bed so we could take turns resting. And thus Draco had also charmed up a bed that now resided in the corner of the room.

Tossing my bag onto the couch, I headed to the table in the center of the room and lit the fire under the cauldron, letting it heat a bit before starting the potion. As the cauldron warmed, I smoothed out the letter on the table, weighed it down with a ink bottle, and began to cut up the asphodel roots and measure out the comfrey powder. By the time Draco and Blaise joined me an hour later, finally out of class themselves, the potion was well underway.

"See Draco," Blaise said as they walked in, "she really doesn't need us."

"Hello to you too," I said, rolling my eyes as I stirred clockwise seven times, watching the potion turn from blue to a sea foam green.

Draco dropped his bag next to mine and joined me at the table while Blaise flopped on the couch, muttering about dinner.

"How's it coming along?" he asked, gazing into the cauldron.

"Pretty good," I said, adding a three mistletoe berries before looking up at him. I frowned slightly, seeing dark circles under his eyes and worry lines creasing his brow. I couldn't help feeling concerned. Something was wrong. "Are you alright?"

He nodded absently, his eyes not meeting mine as he looked over the remaining potion ingredients. "It's nothing," was all he said, picking up the instructions from Fred and George, reading it to see where I was at. "How much longer until it has to just brew?"

Letting it drop, I turned back to the potion, judging by the color of the potion. "Another half hour maybe," I told him, stirring it again, this time five times clockwise, before adding the powdered unicorn horn.

"Do you need help?" he questioned, setting the instructions back down and putting the ink well back on it.

"Could you cut up those silverweed?" I asked, pointing to a small yellow plant that needed to be finely chopped.

He grabbed the knife without a word and did as I asked. Behind us Blaise was still grumbling about being hungry. After adding the silverweed the potion needed to simmer for five minutes. Finally putting everything down, I turned around and leaned against the table. "If you're so hungry Blaise, why don't you just head on down to dinner, fill three plates, and bring the food up here?" I suggested with a roll of my eyes.

He perked up at that, as if he'd truly believed we wouldn't get to eat all weekend. "Will do, love," he said, bounding to his feet like an excited puppy, making me laugh despite him calling me love yet again. I doubted I'd ever get him to stop. I'd given up telling him not to. "Any requests?"

"You know what I like," Draco said with a shrug, lowering himself onto the sofa and putting an arm across the back of it.

Blaise rolled his eyes at his best friend and turned to me. "And you, love?" he questioned.

"Whatever is fine. Ham if they have it," I answered, turning to check the potion really fast.

"Ham, got it," he said, grinning widely before trotting off.

"I doubt he comes back until he's ate his fill," Draco pointed out, going to stand as I went back to brewing the potion until I waved him away. It was nearly to the halfway point anyway.

"Figures, but at least we'll get dinner," I said with a shrug, adding a few more things before stirring it again nine times clockwise then twice counterclockwise.

Draco let out a sound of assent and fell quiet. I suddenly wished the couch was in front of me, not behind me. I hadn't seen Draco look like this before and, though I hated to admit it, it had me worried. Something was wrong. By the time I turned around again, the potion finally set to simmer for the first hour, the worried look was gone, replaced by a grin as he patted the couch next to him.

Though he still looked tired, he no longer looked like the weight of the world was on his shoulders and the look he leveled at me made my stomach flutter. Going against what was surely my better judgment, I did as he bade and joined him on the sofa. Settling down beside him, I leaned back into the cushions.

Glancing at my watch, I checked the time and smiled. "Right on schedule," I told Draco. "We'll just have to stir it every hour on the dot. It's seven o'clock now, so at eight we'll stir it the first time." I'd hoped to plan it out just right so the stirs would fall on the hour. Easier to keep track that way.

"Alright," Draco said, nodding as he pulled out his wand. Giving it a flick, he conjured up a large clock on the wall across from us. "Now we can't miss it."

I was glad he'd thought of it, and smiled at him happily, the flutter in my stomach having settled finally. I'd gotten really quite comfortable around Draco over the past week, and he was fast on his way becoming one of my good friends. That wasn't something I'd ever imagined saying, but it was true. He could be a real gentleman when he put his mind to it.

Looking over at him, I saw his eyes soften, like pools of liquid silver. "Has anyone ever told you how brilliant you are?" he asked, his arm that had been atop the back of the sofa sliding down to rest across my shoulders, his skin warm even through our clothes.

My breath caught in my throat for a second, startled at the contact and that look in his eyes. "Not really," I admitted. "Hermione is the brilliant one, not me."

"Rubbish," Draco said with a shake of his head. "She's a know-it-all, yes, but you're the one in an advanced potions class. Not even Granger was above level in any of her classes. You really are an extraordinary witch."

I flushed from the compliments and from his closeness, feeling acutely his arm across me, his side so close we were almost touching. "Thank you," I said, genuinely touched.

His eyes held mine, and I was unable to look away. I found it hard to breath, and my mouth went dry. I could see the desire in his eyes, a look I'd never seen before. There was something else, a desperation. Behind the carefully placed mask I could even see exhausted worry that I'd noticed earlier. And more, fear. But overshadowing them all, overwhelming me, was that desire.

He started to lean closer, and I felt my stomach jump to my throat at what was coming next. My eyes fluttered closed and my body moved closer to him of it's own accord. He was so close I could feel his breath on my face. I was surrounded by that tantalizingly masculine scent that I'd smelled in the love potion at the beginning of the year. HIs arm that was around my shoulders slide down to my back, pulling me even closer.

Just as his lips were about to meet mine, the door swung open and Blaise announced in a loud voice "Dinner!"

Well, how'd you like it? For those of you confused over Draco's sudden worry, don't worry, I'll do his POV next chapter. As for those of you who already connected the dots, good for you. You rock. So yes, I'm following the books. Anyhow! I hope you guys enjoyed it!

Sorry it took so long to post! I should reread through my stories more often. It makes me want to write. Feedback helps too! Those reviews make me feel like I'm writing for more than just myself. They make me want to write more, to please you guys. So, let me know what you thought. Yell at me for my long absence if you wish. Just review, they are like air to fanfics. Without them, fanfics die. So don't kill my story guys! Review!

And as always, remember that a happy author writes better and faster! So review and make me happy!