Another rather long chapter. Woohoo! All my reviewers are awesome! You're infiniatly better then cookies. Hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: All situations and charecters belong to the amazing J.K. Rowling. The only thing that belongs to me is the plot.

Draco woke the next morning with a horrible headache. He hadn't been able to go back to sleep after what he had heard last night. Tom was Voldemort. Tom was Voldemort. No matter how many times he thought it, it still sounded wrong.

It all made sense now. In his second year, someone- a girl- had been taken into the Chamber of Secrets. Now he knew that girl was Ginny Weasley.

He tried to remember her, how she acted, what she would have looked like in her first year. Small, he remembered that. Even now, though she was roughly average height, she still seemed small. She must have been tiny then.

She had also always appeared somehow nervous, almost anxious to him. It made sense now why. She had been under the control of Tom Riddle, future Dark Lord.

He knew it had been a student who opened the Chamber, but somehow he had always assumed it had been someone older then him, maybe a sixth or seventh year. But instead it had been the little Weasley, a first year.

He clenched his fists. True, there was no love lost between the Weasleys and himself, but still, to use an impressionable child was wrong. His father's hand had been in this, he had known that even as a child. Then he had been filled with pride that his father was laying the road for the new rise of the Dark Lord. Now he was filled with an indescribable shame. It almost made him feel guilty enough to go easy on the poor girl. Almost.

Ginny rubbed her neck. Admittedly, sleeping on the floor and then quidditch practice was a bad combination, but throw in a night in the infirmary and she was about ready to collapse. She hadn't really been in the mood to come, but she had had little homework that night and she knew she probably wouldn't be able to come in again until at least Thursday.

"Long night, Weasel?" Draco sneered. She sighed; she was really not in the mood to deal with him today, yet all day he had been unusually persistent in his ridicule.

"What do you want?" She snapped. Her temper was not something she could always control on the best of days, let alone one like today where she had used the word sucked to the point where it lost all meaning.

"Nothing, just thinking I never gave Potter as much credit as he deserved if he's got you this tired. I can't give him points for good taste, though."

"What do you- Oh my gosh, you think I-and Harry- we-" If he was implying what she thought he was implying he was in for a world of pain. "How dare you! How dare you imply that Harry and I…" She trailed off, really, really not wanting to finish the sentence.

"Come on Weasley, stop acting innocent. You were seen entering his bedroom at night and not leaving until morning." He said looking disgusted.

"The bedroom that is also shared by my brother and two other boys." She half yelled.

He raised an eyebrow. "I didn't take you for that kind of girl."

She didn't seem to understand. Then after a second of silence her face lit up with understanding. "Ewww! That's disgusting. Look, I don't know how in the heck you would know this," she knew no one in Gryffindor would say anything that might lead to rumors. "And I certainly don't feel the need to defend myself to you, but I slept on the floor. Between Ron and Harry's beds. I…Ron wasn't sleeping well and he wanted someone near him."

"Gee, and I thought it was bad when I thought you were with Potter, but your brother?" He smirked.

"Why must you be such a disgusting pig? Not everything everyone says is dripping with innuendo. How many times can I say this before it gets through your thick skull? I. Don't. Like. Harry. Potter." She paused her rant only briefly for a breath before continuing. "I don't know what your problem is. Did your parents not love you enough when you were a child? Oh wait, I forgot I'm talking to Death Eater, Jr."

"Shut up."

"Your father must be so proud that you're following in his footsteps! And your mother-"

"I said shut up! Leave her out of this!" The outburst was not characterized by his normal cool, self-contained anger, but instead by a visible passion so unlike him that Ginny fell silent. He was panting and a quick look at his hands revealed fists clenched so tightly around his wand that his knuckles had gone white.

For Draco the silence was uncomfortable, especially with the girl staring at him as if she had discovered a new species of particularly loathsome bug.

For a while he was sure that she was just trying to decide what would be the most painful way of disposing of him. But then, the heat of her anger melting away, he saw her eyes soften.

"You really love her don't you? Well who says there's no honor among thieves?" She said, but the question was not harsh, nor was her tone mocking. Instead, it was kind and filled with a gentle sort of wonder.

"She's my mother. And Malfoys are not thieves." He answered defensively.

She frowned. "That doesn't answer the question."

It was his turn to frown. "Of course it does. She's my mother."

"You don't talk that way about your father." She stated curtly.

"You're infuriating."

"Merlin, you can't even say it. You can't even say the word love, can you? I pity you."

"I don't need your bleeding pity, weasel."

She shook her head. "I'm leaving."

"It's not time to go." He called after her.

"I'll come back tomorrow," She answered without turning and then she was gone.

Madame Pomfrey's stuck her head in from the next room. "What was all this yelling about?"

"We…Weasley just remembered she had somewhere else to be. She said she was sorry and she'd be in tomorrow to make up the time."

"Oh, well okay. She's really such a dear, responsible child isn't she?"

He rolled his eyes in disgust but the woman didn't notice.

"Oh well, there's really no reason to keep you any longer. You may go, Mr. Malfoy. But don't tell that Professor Snape I let you out early. Quite a stickler for the rules that man." She said, shaking her head before she disappeared again. Before he left, Draco caught just a peek of what she was doing. She was mesmerized by a book whose cover was decorated with a big-busted woman dressed in a tight-fitting corset and a shirtless man. Below the picture in shimmering red letters was printed the title of the book: Naughty, Naughty. He shuddered; some things were just too weird to contemplate.

Homework finished and infirmary shift ended, he went to bed early that night, but couldn't find any peace. Thoughts of the annoying redheaded chit swam through his head.

It certainly wasn't as though he wanted her pity. The very thought of it disgusted him. She was a Weasley; her whole house was worth less then his broom. If anything, he should pity her.

She had a knack for getting under his skin that topped even that of her maddening older brothers. They at least had been easy to deal with. Insults, threats, and even fighting easily solved conflicts, but with her it was different. She could get inside his head like no one else had managed (or dared) to do with the exception of his closest friends and family. It probably had something to do with those eyes.

Blaise had looked at him when he had returned from the infirmary in a strut with that look that he used whenever Draco was being thick. Well, Draco knew what Blaise thought, and he knew he was wrong.

Blaise thought he fancied the littlest Weasley, which of course was ridiculous. He was adult enough to admit she was attractive. Any dolt with eyes could see that, but that certainly didn't mean he liked her. He loathed her. He hated her with the very essence of his being.

True, he didn't wish for her death and humiliation as he did Potter, but that was not any indication of a romantic interest in her.

Then why, A voice in his head asked, were you so relieved when she told you she didn't like Potter?

I wasn't, He answered, but here, alone, in the darkness of the room, he had to confront the fact he had been ignoring all evening.

Well, he thought, maybe just a little, but not because I fancy her. I don't fancy her.

He justcouldn't have her getting too close to Potter, just in case the Boy Blunder could somehow thwart his plan and remove the necklace. It was extremely unlikely, but Scar Head was a master of dumb luck. After Christmas holiday ended he didn't care what the Weaselette did.

But until that necklace comes off, he thought, she's mine.

"Hey, Ginny. Can I talk to you?" Harry asked.

"Ah…sure, what is it?"

"I'd just like to thank you for last night." He said. He looked nearly as tired as Ginny felt. Their game of exploding snaps had ended abruptly when Dean burnt off the majority of his left eyebrow. After that the four had entered a rousing game of Wake Neville Up. Only when Ginny finally summoned a pitcher of cold water to dump over the boy's head did he wake from his slumber in a rather foul mood. After they had exhausted their game ideas ("I know a game we can play," Dean said, winking suggestively at Ginny. Harry couldn't decide who was more red, Ginny or her brother.), they had moved on to simply raiding the room for sweets and staying up until nearly four in the morning talking.

Ginny had known she would be tired in the morning, but she didn't want to go back to sleep and she could tell from the look of him, neither did Harry. So she had stayed up, always keeping the group busy.

She smiled brightly at her friend. "You're a great guy, Harry."

"Glad you think so. You mind writing that on all the stalls in the girls' loo?"

She laughed. "You wish Potter."

He sighed. "Well, it was worth a shot."

"How'd it go guys?" Harry asked hopefully, only half sitting in the bed. He looked over the rest of his mud-splattered team.

The group looked around before Ron finally spoke. "Sorry Harry. We were close though."

Harry's head fell. A day before their match against Ravenclaw he had suffered a slight quidditch injury. Normally Madame Pomfrey would have been able to fix his broken leg in an instant, but it seemed Harry had acquired immunity to the spell.

Needless to say, he was not at all please with being unable to compete in the match but had eventually agreed to stay in bed like a good patient until his leg healed at the insistence of his team.

"Ron was brilliant." Ginny said. "The other team only scored once."

Ron nodded. "Ginny was really the amazing one though. You should have seen her."

Ginny had played as seeker in Harry's absence.

"The substitute Chasers weren't that great and Gin got really ticked. So she flew down and gabbed the quaffle out of the Ravenclaw's hands herself-"

"Nearly knocking the poor kid off his broom." Colin, who had joined them in the hospital added excitedly.

"Yeah and then she threw it straight through the goal." Ron finished.

"I got it all on film!" Colin squealed.

Ginny blushed slightly. Mostly she was just relieved they hadn't felt the need to repeat her exact words ("You do realize that the bloody goal is that way? This is a ball. Now get it through the stinking goal!") to Harry.

"Yeah, but Madame Hooch wouldn't let us keep the points." Ginny said.

Technically a player wasn't allowed to touch any ball save they were in pursuit of, and of course, the bludgers if they happened to be hit by one. In grabbing the quaffle, she had broken the rules. But at least she must have had some effect on the chasers because after that they had made four more goals.

"Then I saw the snitch." Ginny said annoyed. "I was closest to it. If my broom had been as fast as hers I would have gotten it way before Cho. Sorry Harry."

"That's all right, Gin." Harry said.

Everyone present started. This was not the reaction anyone had expected from Harry. Ginny, he noticed looked more shocked then the others. Her face was slightly pale and she seemed to be trying to take deep breaths.

He grinned. "Think of it this way, now we play Hufflepuff. There's no way we could lose. On the other hand Slytherin and Ravenclaw have to face off. If we're lucky, they'll kill each other and we'll win by default!"

"And then we'll- Gin what's wrong?" Harry asked, causing everyone to turn. Ginny's faced white and her hand had gone to her neck.

"I'm just…I just realized what time it was. I promised someone I'd meet them." Her voice was harsh and strained.

"Well…okay. You sure you're alright."

"Fine. I got to go. I'll visit you later Harry. Sorry."

"Hey, you're not going to meet a guy are you?" Ron called after her, but she was already gone.

"Well that was weird." Hermione said.

"Yeah."

"That's okay Gin." Harry said comfortingly. But Ginny's concerns had turned from their quidditch loss to the familiar burning on her chest.

What now? She thought. She breathed deeply, trying to appease the intense pain emanating from the cold gem around her neck.

Harry smiled. "Think of it this way, now we play Hufflepuff. There's no way we could lose. On the other hand Slytherin and Ravenclaw have to face off. If we're lucky, they'll kill each other and we'll win by default."

Ginny couldn't concentrate on what he was saying. Cold, hard wires seemed to be coiled around her chest constricting her lungs. Her whole mind was filled with the insatiable urge to move. Invisible ropes were pulling at her, drawing her away from Harry's bed and closer to the door. Closer to Draco Malfoy, she realized with a start. It was Saturday, exactly one week after the ball. She had to talk to him tonight.

"And then we'll- Gin what's wrong?" Harry asked.

She looked up, startled to find everyone's attention had turned to her. Resisting the pull of the necklace was tiring and painful and she could feel drops of cold perspiration running down her forehead.She prayed they wouldn't notice.

"I'm just…I just realized what time it was. I promised someone I'd meet them." She tried to be calm but her voice sounded pained even to her own ears.

"Well…okay. You sure you're alright?" Harry looked slightly confused as he said it.

"Fine. I got to go. I'll visit you later Harry. Sorry." He nodded farewell still looking baffled but didn't question her. Thank God for Harry.

"Hey, you're not going to meet a guy are you?" She heard Ron yell as she left but she didn't answer.

Running didn't feel like running. She wasn't aware of her legs moving back and forth beneath her. She didn't know where she was going, but the ropes were pulling her and she knew where they led the pain would end.

Though she moved as fast as her tired legs would carry her, she still felt slow. Then, abruptly, the pain stopped.

She looked around taking in her surroundings. She was in the dungeons and as far as she could tell, she was alone.

"Malfoy?" She called. She heard nothing but her echo and the dreary sound of water dripping onto the cold stone floor.

"Malfoy?" She called again, not liking the silence. For a moment she contemplated the possibility that he actually wasn't there, but then discarded it almost immediately, realizing the throbbing wouldn't have stopped if he were not present.

Her next foolish thought was that maybe the necklace had stopped working. She pulled at the clasp but much to her disappointment the necklace remained closed tightly.

"Malfoy I know you're here. If you don't come out this instant I'll just leave." She called. "I'm counting to three. One… Two…Three… Fine. I-"

From behind her a strong arm grabbed her, pulling her into a corner. "Hey I-"

But she couldn't finish because a hand- presumably belonging to the arm that was wrapped around her waist- was over her mouth silencing her.

"Gees woman, can't you take a hint. Shut up." A voice whispered in her ear. She obliged because short of gnawing off her assailant's hand she really had no other option. She listened for a moment hearing only the sound of the water still dripping obdurately. Then footsteps echoing throughout the hall.

Her attacker, trusting her not to scream, removed his hand and felt her push her body closer to his. Her back was meet by his hard chest and though the thought of contact with his body in any way, shape, or form made her skin crawl, she nestled her body even closer against his so whoever was approaching wouldn't see them.

She waited until the footsteps had pasted and faded out of hearing range before stepping out of her hiding place.

"Why couldn't you just tell me someone was coming, Malfoy?" She yelled, outraged, at the blond as he sauntered out of the corner.

"Well I thought you'd take the hint. Obviously not. Besides, if they recognized our voices it would lead to suspicion." He said, and then lowered his voice. "Now, did you find a place?

"Yes but-"

"Not here." He snapped. "Follow me."

Without waiting for a reply he started off. She followed, grateful for the momentary delay, because what she had to tell him he really wasn't going to like.

I can't decide whether I like this chaper or not. Itwas justkind of a filler chapter leading into the next one where you all learn (as if you don't already know) where Draco will be staying for Christmas. I knowI didn't touch too much on Draco's feelings about the whole Tom Riddle/ Lord Voldemort thing, but it will definatly come up again. I'm trying to keep all the charecters as 'in charecter' as possible.

Please review with any comments or suggestions. Or just soI know whether people are actually reading this or not. But most of all because reviews make me happy.

The next chappie will come soon, I hope, but swim season is just starting up (shudder) so it might take me longer then usual to update, at least until school ends. But I'll try to write quickly, especially since the next chapter is going to be a lot of fun to write.

Mad Love.