Disclaimer: I own nothing. The characters and the setting are all J.K. Rowling's. The names for the bracelet and Ryuen are from Yuu Watase's Fushigi Yuugi. Anything else you recognize… I just don't own it.

Author's Notes: Thanks to my regular reviewers. You guys always seem to make my day. Please forgive me for not uploading a new chapter earlier. I was busy. Hopefully, I can make the story as original as possible.

Chapter 9: Poor Ron

Lights of Red and Blue mixed in the area. Surrounded by the lights were Draco and Ginny. Draco moved one of his hands to the back of her neck while the other found its way on her waist as he continued to kiss her. He was kissing her with overwhelming passion. Ginny kissed back with all the passion she could muster. Her hands also found their way on the back of his neck pulling him closer. His lips made its way down her jaw line trailing kisses along the way. She moaned as she craned her neck to give him more access.

A loud crash was heard from not far away from the kissing pair. The noise seemed to have awoken the pair from a trance. The blue and red lights diminished. Seeing their current position, they sprang apart as if they were burnt by each other's touch.

"Gin?" The two snapped their heads towards the direction of the voice. They saw a blonde girl standing at the end of the hallway. Her books scattered on the floor.

"Ryniel!" Ginny said horror stricken.

"I'm… so… sorry. I was… wondering were you guys were." Ryniel stuttered while she picked up her books.

Ginny immediately helped her gathering her books up. Draco just stood nearby waiting lazily for Ginny. When they were finished, Ryniel stood in the middle of the hallway staring at them.

"What are you staring at! Get out of my way!" Malfoy said brushing past her. Ginny followed him mouthing Please don't tell anybody and We'll talk about this later as she passed Ryniel. Ryniel nodded giving her a sad smile.

Ginny couldn't help but look in his direction. He was having a conversation with Blaise Zabini. She sighed. Lately, all that's in her mind is him and the bracelets. She couldn't wait for her mom's letter to arrive. It might explain what's going on with her and Draco. She knew that he's experiencing the same thing especially after the incident in the hallway. She blushed.

"Gin, you do know that you're staring at him the whole time we're eating, right?"

Her blush deepened. "Harry!" she yelled throwing him a crumpled tissue.

Laughing, he easily caught it. "You were. Admit it. Good thing, he's busy talking with that Zabini." Then, he's face became serious. "Are you starting to like him, Gin?"

"Harry James Potter!" he winced. "I don't want to hear those words out of your mouth ever again."

He took her hands in his and said, "Gin, we've been best friends for quite awhile now. I just want to know."

She smiled up to him and held his hand tighter. "Yeah… we have been close for about two years now, isn't? Don't worry, Harry. I will not fall for him. I believe that this bracelet is just making me do all this."

CRASH!

There's seemed to be a commotion in the Slytherin table. All students directed their heads on the table and saw Draco Malfoy was all red. The remnants of his glass were all over the floor. His friend Blaise Zabini was trying to hold him down.

"What the hell are you all staring at!" he shouted at everyone before standing up the table and heading straight for the doors with Blaise not far behind. For a fleeting moment, Ginny saw Blaise turned on their direction and grimaced.

"What Malfoy's problem?" Harry said as they departed the Great Hall.

"I… don't know." Ginny replied.

"So, anyway, what's did Snape want with Professor Sprout?" Harry asked as walked up the stairs.

"I don't know. She just asked us to carry some boxes to his office. We also transplanted some Mandrakes which are supposed to be her students' job not ours." She said with disgust.

"Reckon he's going to make a restorative potion?"

"I guess so. If memory serves me right, that's what they're good for." She said.

"Yeah… I remember Hermione saying something like that during our second year." he replied.

"Harry, the Quidditch match is just a few weeks away. Do you think the team's ready for it? Especially when Slytherin has new players." She said worriedly.

"Don't worry, Gin. We're going to beat them like always."

"Don't you see Blaise as a threat? What about their new chasers: John and Ryuen?"

"Calm down, Gin. We'll be ready for them. Don't underestimate our team. We can and we will defeat them."

"I'm not underestimating our team, Harry. I'm just thinking that we might have a hard time beating them." she said as they both stopped in front of the portrait hole.

Harry muttered the password and then motioned Ginny to enter first. When both of them were inside, they made an abrupt stop. Sitting on the couch was Ron and Hermione. To their surprise, Ron was crying on Hermione's shoulder. None of them had the voice to say something. This was the first time that Ginny saw Ron crying. His shoulders were shaking but there was no noise coming out of his lips. Hermione was hugging him saying encouraging words in his ears.

"Ron, mate, is there something wrong?" At last, one of them found the words to say something.

Ron slowly turned his head on their direction. His face was tear-stained. He quickly wiped the tears as he said, "Harry, can I talk to you in the dormitory?"

"Gin, I'll talk to you later. Okay?" Harry said.

She only nodded, unable to find the voice to say something. The two guys, then, climbed up the stairs whispering as they did so. Ginny sat beside Hermione while the older girl sat there silent.

"Hermione, what happened to my brother?" Ginny asked. "I've never saw him cry before so I'm assuming that something terrible had happened."

"Gin… It's about him and Sephire." Hermione answered softly so softly that Ginny barely heard it.

"What about them?"

"I just don't understand, Gin. How could something so shallow affect him greatly? I mean just one single break up! It's not like he's not going to find someone out there whose way better than her!" Hermione told her in a very frustrated manner.

"I'm sorry, Hermione. I forgot how you really like him. It must have been upsetting when he told them to you while he was crying."

"Yeah… one part of me was very depressed for him. The poor guy just broke down when he saw me awhile ago. Another part of me was happy. He's available now."

"I never imagined that Ron would cry over a girl. It never crossed my mind that he will. Why did they break up?" she asked questioningly.

"He didn't tell me the details exactly. He just told me that Sephire reckoned that he's cheating on her, that from the start, he really likes somebody else and not her. I was shocked when I found out. Ron wouldn't do something like that!"

"Yeah… Ron wouldn't do anything like that. It's the girl who usually does that to him." Ginny giggled.

"Ginny!" Hermione yelled glaring at the younger girl.

"Sorry. What's funny about the whole thing is that it was the fastest break up in the family. One month! He even defeated Percy's five week relationship!" Ginny laughed.

"Ginny, this is no laughing matter!"

"I know. I know." Then, she said seriously, "It had been bad for him. He must've really liked her. He didn't even cry over his break up with Lavender."

"Yeah…"

"Well… we'll just talk about this tomorrow. I have patrols to do tonight. What about you guys?"

"No. We have them tomorrow."

She was near the lake trying to calm her nerves to what happened yesterday. She can't believe it. She just kissed Draco Malfoy, her and her brothers' mortal enemy. She spoke to Ryniel before sleeping last night. She lied, of course. She doesn't want anyone except Harry and Hermione to know about the bracelets just yet. She made up this story of how somebody dared her to do it. It was realistic enough so it passed Ryniel's judgment. She was quite hard to convince at first. Before sleeping, she made Ryniel swore not to tell anyone. The thought of Ron yelling at her plus the humiliating howler from her parents and other brothers equals to one chaotic day.

She sighed for the umpteenth time. She still hasn't told Harry about the night with Malfoy and the incident in the hallway. She felt guilty not telling him about it. She considered him, after all this time, her best friend.

A sound of crushing leaves made her turned around. Harry stood behind her wearing an unreadable expression. He sat down at the space beside Ginny. They didn't speak for awhile before Harry decided to break the silence.

"Gin, do you have anything to tell me?"

She looked at him with a confused facade. "Why did you ask that?"

"Hermione mentioned something this morning. Something about the bracelet acting up again."

"What did she say?" She said pretending not to know a thing about it.

"Don't be daft. She told me she's worried about you because the bracelet acted again the other night. What happened?"

"Yes, Harry. The bracelet did act up the other night and so did yesterday. The other night, I was just sleeping in the dormitory and dreaming about going to the lake and meeting someone there…"

"Let me guess… that someone is Malfoy, isn't?" Harry interrupted.

"Yes, it is Malfoy. Then, when I woke up, I was near the lake with Malfoy beside me. Yesterday, he was possessed. I'm guessing that after he kissed me, I became possessed as well."

"HE KISSED YOU!" he said in a rather loud voice.

"Yes, he did. I believe I also kissed him back. Ryniel told me. She saw us kissing in the hallway."

"Gin, I want you to stop wearing the bracelet. I don't want you to ever wear it again." He said in a stern voice.

"Harry, I can't take them off."

"What do you mean you can't take them off? Last time I checked, you can remove them."

"That was before. It seems as though there is a protective field being activated every time I try to remove it. You try." She told him.

He did what he was told. He made an attempt to unclasp the hook but the eyes of the phoenix glowed and then his hand was forced away. He looked at her worried.

"See. What am I going to do now, Harry?" she said as tears rolled down her eyes.

He pulled her into a hug before saying, "Don't worry, Gin. We'll find out a way. I know we will."

A few days later…

"Okay, Harry. I'll just see you there." She said while climbing up the stairs heading straight for the dormitory.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah! You guys go ahead."

"Okay. We'll see you there!" with his reply she closed the door. They were supposed to go to the library. No, they're not going there to do more research on the bracelets. They're simply going to do their regular homework. They're waiting for Mrs. Weasley's reply before doing anymore research about it. Ginny's going desperate for some answers especially after the incident she had with Draco on the hallway.

Ginny grabbed her bag near her bed and proceeded to the door. Suddenly, something white caught her eye. She turned back and saw Errol perched on her bed with a note attached to its leg. Overcame by anticipation, she dashed towards Errol and took the letter.

Gin,

I'm sorry I haven't replied right away. I was sort of bus and Errol was not feeling up for a long flight. I hope you understand. Regarding your questions, can you wait till you get home for the holidays? Your father wants to tell them to you personally. I'm sorry. Is everything okay? Did something bad happen? How's Ron?

Love,

Mom

She crumpled the letter with disappointment. She thought that maybe the answers to everything would be fulfilled after reading the note. Nope. Her dad just wanted to tell it to her personally. She felt as if her day had been ruined because of her mom's reply. She had been waiting for days and that's all she had to say?

She threw the letter into the thrash can. Upset, she made her way downstairs and to the library where she will tell the most upsetting news to Harry.

She walked through the hallways with her head down trying to hide the fact that she was crying. She was both disappointed and scared. Disappointed that she didn't found out any information. Scare to what might happen next. Okay, I've been possessed three times. First, I freaked out Harry. Second, I slept the whole night with Malfoy near the lake. Third, I kissed Malfoy in the hallways and Ryniel saw us. What's next? I'll shag Malfoy unconsciously! she thought.

When she heard footsteps coming closer, she quickly wiped her cheek trying to conceal any indication that she was crying. The footsteps became louder and louder every second that passes. Ginny turned to every direction and saw Draco and Blaise passing by headed for the library.

"Malfoy!" she yelled as she ran after him. At the sound of her voice, Draco and Blaise stopped and turned to her direction.

"What do you want, Weasley?" he asked with indifference.

"We need to talk." She told him.

"Talk about what exactly." He said crossing his arms.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about! These bloody bracelets!" she yelled lifting her sleeves to show him the Suzaku. "I can't take it anymore! These bloody things are keeping me from having a good night's sleep!" she added.

"Weasley, I have no idea what you're talking about. It's not my problem. It's yours." He said turning his back on her.

She grabbed his arm and said, "Don't you dare turn your back on me!" Fuming, she continued, "Just admit it! You're experiencing them too!"

Suddenly, Draco grabbed her shoulders and forced her to the wall. "Bloody hell, Weasley! Yes! I'm experiencing them too! Happy now? I'm regretting the day I accepted and decided to wear this bracelet!" he yelled.

"Malfoy, you're hurting me! Let go!" she said.

He released a breath before letting her go. "Tomorrow at Three Broomsticks." he said before walking away with Blaise.

"Malfoy!" she shouted but he didn't turn back.

Author's Notes: Thanks for reading! I know the kissing part sucked! I'm trying to maintain the rating. I don't think this was a good chapter. I sort of rushed this one since it had been a month since I uploaded a new chapter. Please Review! I want to know what you think.