Chapter 3

As the hundreds of Hogwarts students moved through the oak front doors into the entrance hall, Harry noticed how fewer students there were this year. He had read in the Prophet of deaths and disappearances involving familiar names but also suspected many parents were afraid. He was afraid. Who would the new headmaster be? All he knew was that no one could possibly replace Albus Dumbledore.

Stepping into the Great Hall, Harry spotted Draco already seated at the Slytherin table. He was at the far end, distancing himself from the rest of the house. Harry tried to force himself to feel happy that Draco was so depressed, but he couldn't.

He, Ron, and Hermione took seats together at the Gryfinndor table. Ginny left her group of friends and sat down next to Harry. He was saved from trying to act normal in front of her because MacGonagall stood and called for silence.

"Welcome, students," MacGonagall spoke to the room of expecting students. It was not what they expected, nor did they feel welcome. Dumbledore had said almost the exact phrase at the begginning of the previous Start of Term Feasts, but in MacGonagoall's harsh voice they sounded almost too different to be recognisable. "I would like to introduce you to the new Hogwarts Headmaster, a returinng teacher of our school, Alastor Moody," MacGonagall exclaimed and every student in the hall gasped together.

"Why didn't anyone tell us? We were around Order members all summer and no one bothered to mention Moody was going to be running our school!" Ron said indignantly.

"I'm surprised Moody has decided to come run a school. Shouldn't he be helping the Order with more important matters," Harry said.

"I don't think Moody will be spending much time inside the school. There are probably lots of others guarding the school. The Order just wants to keep the Ministry from appointing another Umbridge," Hermione said sounding like exasperated at her two friends.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were not the only ones discussing their new headmaster. The rest of the school seemed very uneasy with the return of Moody to the school. Not many of them new he had been a Death Eater in disguise, but they still believed him mad.

After the feast Harry, Ron, and Hermione got up and headed for the entrance hall, but before Harry could follow his friends Ginny reached out and took his hand. Harry knew he could not avoid talking to her about their relationship forever, but he did not want to do it now so he walked on with her. Draco looked over and saw the two holding hands. He features clouded over with anger. Harry dropped Ginny's hand. She looked at him and spoke, "Harry..."

"I'm sorry,Ginny, but..." Harry began, but Ginny didn't let him finish."You said you couldn't be with me because you needed to fight You Know Who, and that I would be at risk. Except you're not fighting him, you're here. So what's going on, Harry?"

"He doesn't want you anymore. Isn't he making that clear enough?" Draco had come over to where Harry and Ginny were standing at the Gryfindor table.

"This has nothing to do with you, Malfoy," Ginny said loudly, and she grabbed Harry's hand again and dragged him away. Harry didn't dare look back to Draco.

Ginny led him to a deserted corridor and turned to face him, "Is that true? Is Draco right? Do you not like me anymore?" Ginny's voice was pained, but Harry knew she would not cry. "Don't listen to Malfoy," Harry told her.

"You didn't answer my question. What's going on with us? Did you expect to come back to school and pretend there was never anything between us?" Harry knew he had to give a straight answer; Ginny wasn't the kind of girl you could mess around with.

"Ginny, I love you, but..." Harry didn't have time for the "but". Ginny had had stepped closer to him and placed her lips lightly on his. "I don't need to know anymore," she whispered and began to kiss him lightly. Harry knew he should pull away, insist on explaining his feelings, but he couldn't help still loving Ginny, however distant the emotions were these days.

A little while later foot steps came down the hall, but neither Harry nor Ginny noticed. Draco stopped a few feet away and watched for a moment before drawling, "If you two wouldn't mind, I just ate." Ginny and Harry jumped. Draco sneered. Harry and Ginny turned to walk away, but Draco called after them, "Oh, Potter, you're not getting away that easily." Harry turned to look at him again. The same emotion was on his thin face as when harry had taken his hand. Harry still couldn't tell what it was, but he didn't want Draco mentioning the incident in front of Ginny.

"Ginny, you can wait for me in the common room," he told her. She didn't protest. Once she was out of earshot Draco spoke, "Sweet girl." There was nothing sweet in his voice.

"Draco?" Harry didn't know what he was asking, but somehow he didn't feel angry at how Draco was acting or for interrupting him and Ginny.

"You should get back to Ginny," Draco seemed to be having second thoughts on what he had kept Harry here. When Harry did not move Draco said, "You don't need to worry about me."

"I'm not worried," Harry said truthfully,"I'm curious."

"About what?" Draco asked. "You," Harry felt no shame in admitting he felt more than loathing for Malfoy. Draco did not react angrily like he had on the train. Instead he stepped forward and forcecully pressed his lips on Harry's. The second kiss of his evening was quite different from the first. While Ginny's was soft and sweet, Draco's was rough and determined. Just as Harry began to feel he never wanted this to end, Draco broke away and ran off without another look back at Harry.