Ginny headed back to school with her head held high. She was not going to let the likes of Draco Malfoy ruin this year for her. She met up with Neville and Seamus on the platform. She scanned the crowd for Luna, but didn't see any sign of a silvery-blonde haired Ravenclaw. Ginny turned to Neville and frowned, "I wonder where she's gotten to?" Seamus laughed and shrugged, "Probably hunting for some last minute Wrackspurts."

They searched the compartments for an empty one, and came to the end of a carriage. Ginny slid in and shoved her bags on the baggage space above her head. She then plopped down beside Seamus and they waited for other's to join them. Ginny asked Seamus how his holidays were and he frowned, "Well, Neville was there half of the time and then when he wasn't there…he was with you." He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders, "Very uneventful basically. Mum barely allowed me out the house."
That's when Colin walked in and shortly behind him was McLaggen. Colin grinned at them all and said, "Hey everyone! How were the hols?" Ginny got up and hugged him. She had actually missed his cheery attitude lately. He laughed, "What do I deserve this for?" Ginny shrugged when she released him, "Just missed you that's all." He grinned and chuckled, "I missed you too! Are you excited to be going back?"
Ginny shook her head and sighed. Colin murmured, "Why not? You love school!" Ginny raised her eyebrows sky high, "Yeah but after last term?" Colin shrugged his shoulders and replied, "When did a lying, abusive, manipulative Death Eater ever stop you?" Ginny actually laughed properly for the first time in so long. She didn't know what came over her, but for the first time since Harry, Ron and Hermione left…she actually properly laughed. Not a genuine "ha-ha" sort of laugh, but rather a stomach-hurting, hoarse- voice kind of laughter.

The rest of her friends were staring at her with perplexed expressions on their faces. That's when McLaggen walked in and asked, "Is she high?" Ginny was clutching her ribs and trying to exhale without choking on air. She eventually calmed herself down and took a seat in the compartment, "Sorry Colin. I just…think you have more faith in me than I have in myself." Colin had been staring at her with a dumbfounded expression on his face and was now looking rather embarrassed as he said, "I didn't think what I said was that funny…" Seamus shook his head and popped a Bertie Botts in his mouth before saying, "It wasn't."

XXX

On the way to the bathroom, Ginny had to walk past the Slytherin carriage…since the bathroom was at the very end. She hated this journey to the bathroom for this reason…being shot death stares by all of the Slytherin's as she walked past…her bright red hair sticking out from the crowd. Normally she would ask Luna to go with her, but Luna still hadn't pitched yet. It was beginning to worry Ginny.

When she arrived at the girls' bathroom, there was a voice on the inside. She heard them giggling and the one voice whispered, "Pansy told me he wasn't coming back!" Ginny frowned and wondered who they were talking about. She'd been secretly hoping to run into Draco around here and just make sure he was still hanging in there. Still…she didn't want to think of that. The other girl responded in a high pitched voice, "Oh yes! Pansy says he's not coming back for the first week of term! I think he's in trouble with the Dark Lord…" Ginny felt her herself grow worried over bloody Draco Malfoy. She was straining to hear what else they were saying but she couldn't hear anything. Their voices had grown softer.

Then there was a high pitched cough echoing from behind her. Ginny turned slowly and she almost knew just from that cough whom it was going to be. Pansy stood there, hands on her hips and her round, piggish face contorted in a smirk, "Going somewhere, Weasley?" Ginny sighed dramatically and said, "I would, Pansy, if your friends didn't hog the bathroom for so long!" she exclaimed.

Pansy rolled her eyes and retorted with her arms folded, "You know there's another bathroom on the far end of the train by the Ravenclaw carriages, right?" She pointed in the other direction. Ginny raised her eyebrows and laughed, "And you expect me to trek all the way there? I was here first." Pansy sighed in exasperation, "Just get out of here, Weasley. You're being a menace!"

Ginny knew she shouldn't say anything about Draco's warning. It could get her into more trouble. But she was just dying to scratch this girls' back. Her temper boiled and Ginny couldn't help herself as she said vengefully, "You know, Parkinson, there's a reason why I managed to escape the Death Eater attack unscathed in the Christmas holidays."

Ginny had turned her back and began walking away, but now she turned to see Pansys' reaction. It was Ginny's turn to smirk now as she watched shock dawn on the other girls' face. Ginny felt satisfied as she walked away…knowing Pansy would put the rest of the puzzle together. Then she snapped back at Ginny, "He wouldn't dare try to warn you…" Ginny raised her eyebrows and smirked, "Really, ask him! And by the way, this is our little secret. If anyone else had to find out…Draco would never forgive you." Pansy paled considerably and Ginny felt thorough satisfaction of taking this nuisance of a girl down a peg or two.

Her friends finally emerged from the bathroom, dressed in their Hogwarts robes and asked her, "Hey Pans! You should have come in. Why were you lingering outside?" They then noticed Ginny, who smiled sweetly at them and said, "It's because she was having a heart-to-heart with me, that's all. See you gals later!" Ginny flounced off with a dramatic spin on her heels and she felt like laughing as she walked away from a shell-shocked Pansy Parkinson.

XXX

When they arrived at Hogwarts, the snow was beginning to fall swiftly through the sky. Ginny had grown increasingly worried about Luna. She hadn't seen her friend at all, and this was very unlike Luna to miss school. When they hopped off the train, Ginny saw Hagrid and made her way over to him. She grinned at him and hugged him, "Hey Hagrid. How are you?" Hagrid said tiredly, "I've been busy, and yourself Ginny? I'm glad to see tha' you look alright considering the prophet's reports." Ginny smile and shrugged, "I'm alright, thanks Hagrid. I'll come and visit you soon." She was being squashed in between first years and was beginning to feel uncomfortable.

Ginny reached the invisible horse-drawn carriages and she asked Neville worriedly, "Still no sign of Luna?" Neville shook his head in concern, "Nope…still no sign." Ginny sighed and they boarded one of the carriages a few minutes later. Colin was jabbering away about some of the photographs he had taken in the holidays. Ginny was quite surprised to see him back this term because he'd had a really tough time the previous term. The fact that he was muggle-born didn't really help matters for him either.

They finally arrived at the castle and Ginny couldn't wait to crawl into her four-poster bed. She just needed a warm, safe place to be right now, and that was the only place in the entire castle she would feel that way. The only other really good part about being back was that Ginny was more motivated than ever to get that sword and reform the D.A. She had Fred and Georges' Christmas gifts they'd given to her at the ready, and she wasn't afraid to use them.

XXX

The welcome back feast was a somber affair. Everyone seemed nervous to be back. Everyone who wasn't a Slytherin, that is. Ginny glanced up during her meal to find Pansy Parkinson glaring at her from the Slytherin table. She had actually looked up to see if Draco truly wasn't there. It seemed he wasn't. This made her feel a little nauseous. But she kept these thoughts to herself.

Finally, dessert came around and Ginny was eager to be done. She hadn't been able to reply to Harry's letter and she thought it was best do it in Hogwarts, so calling on Dobby wouldn't look so suspicious. She planned on writing her letter after dinner. She was sure Harry would be worrying about her now too. Ginny couldn't have been more delighted when dinner was done. She hopped up and hurried to Gryffindor tower, before the rush, so that she would have time to sit alone and write.

She pulled out a piece of parchment and began:

Dear Harry

I am fine, please don't stress about me. There was an attack in Diagon Alley, yes…but someone warned me about it and this gave me enough time to close shop with Fred and George before anything disastrous happened.

Please don't worry about me. I'm sure you've got bigger issues that you need to deal with right now. I hope you stay safe and I hope you get what you need to done. My coin hasn't lit up recently so I'm guessing you're fine?

I'm sorry but I don't know what else to say to you. You've been gone so long and sometimes it feels like you're never coming back. I'm starting to give up hope that you ever will.

Love

Ginny

She started at the last two lines she had written. She couldn't believe she was giving up on him. Maybe Harry had only ever been just a dream. The fact that he had ever once been interested in her was a miracle in itself…even if it was fleeting. Ginny couldn't help but think these things. There were so many people who deserved him more than she did.

Ginny felt like he needed to know how she felt. She was like she had to send how she felt in that letter. If not for her, than for him. He needed to know how she was feeling. Until she had written those words, she hadn't realized it herself. The idea of her and Harry together in the end was slowly but surely drifting away from her the longer he was gone. Ginny felt like curling up in a ball and crying. Instead she whispered, "Dobby…"

A/N: Hey guys! Firstly a big thank you to all who have followed this story in the last little while! I'm so touched! 114 followers! I'm so glad most of you seem to be liking the whole Ginny and Draco saga we have going on here! Woohoo!

Anyway, I felt like making this chapter extra long for you guys! Please let me know what you think! Peace out.