Draco-

Ginny hadn't spoken to me in over a week. She avoided me in the corridors, refused look in my direction in the hall- it was as though I simply no longer existed to her.

I had realised, the second that the sentence had left my mouth, that I had made a mistake in telling her I loved her. Her brown eyes widened in shock, and she gaped at me rather unattractively. I'd pushed myself off of her quite suddenly, feeling my face flame red, and had quickly dressed myself again. I could hear her getting dressed as well, and when I turned around to try and explain myself, she was already closing the door behind her. I did not return to the common room that night. I remained in the room of requirement, brooding. Honestly, didn't girls want to be told that they were loved right after sex? Isn't that what girls liked? But then, I reasoned with myself, Ginny was not like other girls. Being raised around all of those mangy brothers must have had some effect on her femininity. She just wasn't a normal girl.

Astoria was also ignoring me. She was furious at me for my outburst at the Slytherin table, claiming in loud tones to her friends whenever I was around that she was utterly humiliated by my behaviour. I had tried to reason with her the morning after, but she had stuck her nose in the air and, irritated by her childish behaviour, I had turned and left, and so in a way I suppose I was ignoring her as well.

With just two days before the beginning of the Easter holidays, I found myself sitting alone in the library, trying to complete the homework that had been set for our last day of term. It was not going well; try as I might, I could not describe fully the properties of the Alihotsy plant. Just as I was about to slam the books shut and give up, a familiar redheaded figure wandered into the library. Not noticing me, she sat down at a table near my own, and proceeded to take out some books, parchment and a quill from her bag. She sat stationary for a moment as she pursued the page she needed in one of the books, and then dipped her quill into the ink and began to scribble something down onto the parchment.

I watched her for a while, trying to decide if I should talk to her or not, try and patch up our argument before the holidays started. Yes, I decided- it wouldn't be good if she stewed over what had happened for another 2 weeks before I tried to fix it. Ultimately it would only make it harder. I pushed myself up, gathered my things, and was about to move over to her when someone else entered the library, talking in a false whisper which carried straight to me.

"I mean, his behaviour was just so humiliating! I could not believe it when he spoke to me like that," hissed Astoria. My blood went cold and I froze on the spot.

"It was truly disgraceful, Astoria," agreed one of her friends. "But do not worry, I am sure he will come to his senses."

"Oh, hello, Draco," Astoria said coldly. They seemed to have reached me at last, and I turned on my heel to face them, noticing as I did that Ginny had looked up from her work, her quill poised in mid-air and dripped ink onto her parchment.

"Hello, Astoria," I replied, keeping my tone light. "What brings you to the library? It is very rare to see one of your lot in here."

Astoria went pink, and glanced at her friends, who were likewise turning different shades of red and pink.

"We… er-"

"Homework, is it, Astoria?" I asked, raising my eyebrow, amused at her discomfort.

"Actually, we came to, er-"

"Well come along, I have not got all day. Some of us actually do have homework to do you know," I said calmly.

"We came to talk to you," blurted out one of her friends, and Astoria went fiery red.

"I see. Well, you have my undivided attention. Please, talk away," I said, sitting down and motioning for them to get on with it.

"I do not think you have been treating me at all well, Draco," said Astoria, launching into what I was sure was a rehearsed speece.

"No?" I asked.

"No," she repeated. "Not at all well. As your girlfriend, I-"

"Are you still my girlfriend?" I asked in a bored tone, examining the nails on my left hand.

"Of course I am!" she said, sounding shocked.

"I was under the impression you wanted to call off the whole thing, actually," I said, thoroughly enjoying the look of astonishment that her group were giving me. "Yes, I have been quite upset by it. Still, never mind, my dear, I am sure you have your reasons- after all, if I have not been treating you at all well… Well, thank you for clarifying this with me, Astoria, I simply could not have gone another day agonising over our predicament. I am sorry we could not have worked out. I am sure my heart may never repair. Well, goodbye then, Astoria." I was ushering them out of the library now, other students looking up from their work and watching, looks of amusement on some of their faces.

Astoria's group were silent, all looking shocked, whilst Astoria seemed to be grappling with her words, unable to articulate a single sentence.

"Draco- no- not what I- Draco, please- Draco-"

"My dear girl, what is done is done!" I said, trying to sound upset.

"But… I do not want to break up!" she said, turning to face me, eyes wide and moist. "I never want to break up with you! Please, Draco, I am sorry for how I have been behaving, can we not just forget it and… and move on?"

"Well…" I pretended to consider for a moment. "I suppose we can, yes. But please do not treat me in such a manner again, Astoria. It has completely upset me."

"I am sorry, my Draco," she said, throwing her arms around me.

"That is quite alright, my dear. Now, run along. I have homework to do, and I feel in a much better mood to do it now," I said, waving her out of the library. Along with her friends, Astoria left quickly, all of them discussing in hushed voices the conversation that we had just enjoyed. I smirked as they turned a corner and disappeared from sight; I had successfully transferred all blame onto Astoria, and was therefore free from her continued bellyaching about my 'disgraceful behaviour'.

"I saw how you did that," said a quiet voice behind me, and I turned to see Ginny standing nervously, behind me, having abandoned her homework on a table.

"Did what?" I said nonchalantly, not moving.

"You made her apologise for you having a go at her," she said, an odd look on her face, somewhere between amusement and annoyance.

"Yes, well, she is very easy to control," I said shrugging, trying to sound unconcerned.

"You like being able to have control then?" asked Ginny, raising an eyebrow in obvious disdain.

"Wha- no!" I said, realising I had said the wrong thing. "No, not at all! It's just… with Astoria you kind of… you need to have control over her, you know? She would run riot otherwise. Besides, she likes it."

"Yes, I'm sure," said Ginny coldly, and she turned to go back to her table.

"Ginny, wait-" I said, only just stopping myself from reaching out and grabbing her arm to pull her back towards me. She turned just a fraction to show that she was listening. "I am sorry for what I said. In the Room. I should not have said it."

"Shouldn't you?" she said. "Then why did you?"

"I don't know," I said desperately.

"Did you mean it?" she asked, her voice mocking now, whether intentionally or not I did not know.

"I.."

"Did you mean it, Malfoy?" she snapped, turning to face me now.

"I- no," the words were out of my mouth before I could even consider them. "No, I didn't mean it."

Her face betrayed nothing. If she was surprised, shocked, hurt by this information, then not a flicker of these emotions passed across her face. She remained calm.

"Then why did you say it" she asked quietly, staring at me dead in the eyes. I refused to look away.

"Well, isn't that what all girls want to hear?" I asked. I knew instantly that I had once again said the wrong thing. For the tiniest second, something like understanding and hurt crossed her face, and then it was replaced by cold fury.

"Outside, Malfoy. Now," she hissed, grabbing her things and heading towards the exit. I followed her, perplexed. Why did we have to leave the library?

Ginny-

I stormed out of the library, head held high, focusing on getting to the deserted courtyard. It was raining outside, but I ignored this minor fact, not even flinching as I exited the castle and the howl of wind and rain hit my face, cold and wet. When we were a safe distance from the school, I turned suddenly, finding myself almost nose to nose with Malfoy, who seemed to have been following me quite closely. I took a step back.

"Listen here, Malfoy-" I began, but he cut across me.

"Why are we back to surnames now?" he drawled, staring at me in bemusement.

"I do not wish to be on a first name basis with such a low down, pathetic toe rag like yourself!" I snapped, and he took an involuntary step back, staring at me. "Why the hell did you say something like that? Was it just to get me to sleep with you again? Is that all I am to you?"

"What? No, Ginny, you're not-"

"Not what? Not pure-blood enough for you, cause I'm some little blood-traitor? How could you even bring yourself to touch someone as contaminated-" I spat the word out through gritted teeth- "as me?"

"Contaminated? No, Ginny, please, listen-"

"Why should I listen to you, Malfoy? Why should I listen to a single word you have to say? You're pathetic, disgusting, treating women like they're just your little toys. I never thought I'd feel sorry for Greengrass, but damn it I do, stuck with someone like you!"

"Someone like me?" said Malfoy, firing up suddenly. "I will have you know, Weaslette, that I am a highly eligible bachelor within the pure-blooded community! You do not get any higher in our ranks than I am! You are lucky I even looked in your direction!"

"Lucky!" I shouted. "Lucky my Aunt Muriel! Don't forget, you were so bloody desperate to get with me that you Imperiused me to get your own way!"

"I Imperiused you because I had to!" shouted Malfoy, his face becoming pink. "I had no other choice but to Imperius you because you would not give me a chance!"

"Why would you even want a chance? I'm a blood-traitor! Nothing to one of your high standards, oh pure-blooded one -"

"Shut up!" shouted Malfoy, cutting me off. I stared at him, stunned into silence for a moment. His hair was sopping wet and plastered to his face, his hands were balled into fists, and he was glaring at me with cold fury in his grey eyes, which only a week or so previously had been gazing at me in pretend adoration. "Just shut up, you stupid little girl! You, look at you, standing there, bold as brass, shouting at the last pure member of my family! I had to Imperius you, alright? I had no choice! I did not want a chance, I needed a chance! Do you not understand? He was making me! He told me to! I had to on His orders!"

"He?" I asked, going cold, because I knew who this 'He' was.

Malfoy had frozen. The fire that had lighted his eyes moments before was cooling and dying. He had clearly let the comment about 'He' slip without meaning to.

"I- I- I said nothing," he stuttered, turning to go back into the castle.

"You-Know-Who put you up to this?" I asked, disbelievingly. Why on earth would You-Know-Who put the pure-blood wonder up to sleeping with his enemy's girlfriend? I felt the blood drain from my face. My heart seemed to be pounding in my ears. I suddenly realised. "He… he wanted Harry to find out, didn't he?" I whispered. "He wanted Harry to find out… He wants Harry to give up… He thinks Harry will do, if he has his heart…" I couldn't finish the sentence. My breathing was coming in gasps.

"Yes," said Malfoy coldly, glancing back at me. "Yes, that was His plan. I almost failed in it, as well. However, I have had sex with you now-" he visibly flinched- "So I suppose He will have something to torment Saint Potter with, before his eventual death."

I stumbled, catching myself on the nearest wall and falling down it so that I was sat slumped in the courtyard, rain still pouring. I had betrayed Harry completely, and it wasn't even for someone who liked me- not that that would have made it any better.

"Harry," I whispered, tears now mixing with the rain on my face. Malfoy was still standing, watching me. I glanced up at him just as he arranged his face so that he was gazing at me in disgust. But moments before something else had been there- concern? Regret? No, I was fooling myself. I truly was nothing to him but a mission. And he had completed his mission. You-Know-Who would not be torturing or killing him or his family, because Malfoy was right- now there was something to torture Harry with when they came face to face once more.

"Your help was much appreciated, Weaslette," stated Malfoy quietly, and he turned, heading back up to the castle.

I remained in the courtyard. I couldn't move even if I wanted to. I had thoroughly betrayed Harry, ruined our chances together. When he found out, he would never look at me again. All those years, I'd been so in love with him. The world seemed to be so perfect, even though You-Know-Who was back and Dumbledore was dead, when Harry had held my hand, held me close to him, kissed me… I had forgotten all of that in a moment of drunken passion.

"I… I'm so sorry, Harry," I whispered brokenly.

What had I done?

A/N: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed, favourited and/or followed up to this point. It always cheers me up to see my work is liked, and I hope you continue. Love, Beccari