Disclaimer: not mine! JKR owns Harry Potter!

A/N: Ok so this took me another month to update, and I apologize. I have been working on this all week and it's my longest chapter yet! Basically because I had to find a good place to stop.

Thank you to my only reviewer for the last chapter, Nenriel. Hope yall enjoy this chapter, it's kind of a transition chapter, I think. So please read and review and tell me what you think. Thanks!

Chapter 12

What was he doing there? Oh my god, this is so embarrassing, she thought. Malfoy immediately dropped the book he had been reading and stood up, looking very surprised and worried. Maggie turned to leave but he stopped her by grabbing her arm. She turned around still crying; now trying to glare at him.

"Are you ok," he said. She shook her head, now only sniffling and shaking. "Ok. Come sit down with me and tell me what happened," he said gently; taking her hand and leading her to the tree.

She sat down next to him and continued to hold his hand tightly. He smiled sadly and said quietly, "It's ok. Tell me what happened." Maggie sighed and told him how everyone was mad at her,

"And then after Harry yelled at me I cracked. I felt like I was back at home where everyone was mad at me and didn't trust me," she finished and started crying again. Malfoy sighed,

"It's ok, come here." He held out his arms for a hug. She threw her arms around his neck and sobbed into his shoulders. He sniffed her hair, it smelled so good! "It's ok.." he murmured, "You've just had a bad day. They continued sitting there, holding each other, not noticing it turn dark.

"What are you two doing," a familiar voice said. Maggie and Malfoy jumped and pulled away from each other quickly. Ginny stood in front of them with her hands on her hips. Seeing that Maggie's eyes were red from crying she frowned at Malfoy and said accusingly, "What did you do to her?" Malfoy opened his mouth to protest, but Maggie put her hand on his arm, silencing him, and said to Ginny,

"He didn't do anything. I was upset and he comforted me." Ginny looked dubiously at Malfoy, and then turned to Maggie and said,

"Come back to the castle with me. Harry, Hermione, and Ron aren't mad anymore. They're all very sorry and worried about you." Maggie sighed,

"Ok, let's go." Ginny turned and left, heading back to the school. Maggie turned and smiled shyly at Malfoy, "Thanks...I see you tomorrow at school." She left quickly before he could say anything. After she was out of earshot he sighed and muttered,

"Anytime."

"Oh my God, What is going on with you two," Ginny asked her as they walked back.

"You can't tell anyone," Maggie said. Ginny smiled mischievously,

"Ooohh, are you two seeing each other? Is this the big secret you can't tell anyone?" Maggie groaned,

"No, I'm not going out with him. I don't know if we're even friends." Ginny looked confused,

"Then what's the big secret?" Maggie sighed,

"It's just something about Malfoy that nobody can know. It's not bad, but it's...complicated."

"Ok...," said Ginny.

"Gin you can't---please don't tell anyone!" She looked at Ginny, begging with her eyes. Ginny sighed,

"I don't know. It's not dangerous is it? You're not being hurt or molested or anything?" She looked worried and Maggie shook her head.

"I'm not," she said emotionlessly. Ginny frowned,

"Malfoy is?" Maggie winced and closed her eyes and said gently,

"Look, I'm safe. That's all you need to know. I need you to promise me that you won't tell anyone. Not what happened tonight or what I told you." Ginny sighed,

"Ok. I promise, I won't tell anyone, not even Harry." Maggie smiled,

"Thank you so much," she said. Ginny grinned, "What are friends for. Now we need to think of a cover story!" Maggie smiled, "I've got one," she said.

Harry sat with Ron and Hermione on a couch in the Gryffindor Common Room. Click the portrait swung open. Ginny walked in with Maggie right behind her. Hermione got up and ran over to her, and hugged her and said quietly,

"Oh my god, we've all been so worried about you." Maggie nodded and Harry came over also, Ron following.

"Sorry I yelled at you before," he said, "I was having a bad day." Maggie nodded,

"Yea I had a pretty stressful day too."

"Where was she?" Ron asked Ginny.

"In the forest," said Ginny. She frowned at Harry and said, "It's a good thing I didn't let you use your map to find her Harry, she needed her alone time." Maggie looked confused but murmured,

"Yea, alone time, uh-huh." They all just looked at her. "So yea, I'm going to go to bed, goodnight," she said quickly and spun around and walked up the stairs.

In her dormitory she put on her pajamas. It was nice and quiet and she was all alone and it was relaxing. Parvati and Lavender were probably out with guys, as usual, and Hermione was still in the Common Room.

She lay down and closed her eyes. Click She opened her eyes and saw that Ginny had come in. "Maggie," she said, "we need to talk, it's important." Maggie sat up and yawned,

"What is it," she mumbled sleepily. Ginny came right to the point,

"You're lucky that I convinced Harry not to look at his Marauder's Map tonight, or he would have known that you were with Malfoy."

"Huh," said Maggie, confused, "What's a Marauder's Map?"

"The Marauders Map is a map of Hogwarts. It shows every person in the castle and on the grounds, and I think maybe the edge of the Forbidden Forest."

"Oh, wow..." Maggie said slowly, "But why did you not let him find me on it?" Ginny shrugged,

"I thought you'd probably need some time alone. And it wasn't that late yet; I told them you'd be back before curfew."

"So...what if I want to meet Malfoy, or he wants to meet me again? What if Harry sees us on that map?" Ginny shrugged again,

"I don't know. We'll think of something. I'll do some research on it tomorrow during my free period. Maybe look at some Charms books." Maggie nodded,

"So what do I do until we find out a way?"

"Simple," said Ginny. "Out of class, stay away from him. Just until we figure something out."

"Hey you two!"

Ginny and Maggie turned around and saw that Hermione had just come in. "Oh, hey," said Maggie, Ginny smiled.

"So what are you two up to," asked Hermione.

"NOTHING," said Maggie and Ginny at the same time, too fast and too loud. Hermione raised her eyebrows, which needed to be waxed. Maggie smiled innocently at Hermione and then looked away at the ground. Hermione looked at them suspiciously,

"Sorry, I interrupted nothing," she said a little coldly and let out a fake sigh, "I just came up here because I was tired." She lay down in her bed and closed her eyes. They watched her lie there for a minute and then Maggie said quietly,

"Is she really asleep?" Ginny shook her head,

"No, she's faking. It works on Ron, but not on me. She's just trying to eavesdrop."

"Oh," said Maggie and yawned, "I'm really tired, so I'll just see you in the morning. Ok Gin?"

"Yea, see ya. By Hermione," said Ginny, Hermione didn't move. Ginny left. Maggie turned of the light and jumped into bed.

"You know," she heard Hermione say in the dark, "It really hurts that your closer to everyone then you are to me. I'm your cousin!" Hermione sounded like she was trying not to cry. Maggie wanted to say something nice but instead she said coldly,

"I'm not close to Ronald!"

Hermione didn't answer. Maggie could hear her shaky breathing, which meant that she was crying. Being the stubborn girl she was, she didn't say anything and just blocked out the noise and went to sleep.

The next day Maggie sat in History of Magic class watching the clock. Two more minutes till the bell rang. Harry, who sat next to her, lay on the desk they shared, snoring loudly. Hermione and Ron shared the desk in front of them. Hermione kept turning around and giving Maggie hurt looks. Maggie elbowed Harry who woke up with a start, "Huh, what's happening," he yelled. The rest of the class woke up and stared at him. Professor Bins frowned and continued rambling on. The last minute seemed like an hour, but finally the bell rang.

She and Harry and Ron left the classroom and waited outside for Hermione to come out. Ginny came around the corner, practically bouncing. She ran over to them and hugged Harry. Then she turned to Maggie, "I need to talk to you for a minute."

"Typical." Hermione had now joined them in the doorway and glared at Ginny and Maggie. Ginny grimaced as she and Maggie walked to the other side of the hall. Ginny looked really excited,

"Well," said Maggie, "what is it?"

"I figured it out," said Ginny happily, "I had a free hour this morning, so I was looking through all these advanced Charms books. Then Colin asked me if I cold help him with the summoning charm, and then it came to me!" She finished looking proud of herself, waiting for Maggie to say something.

"What came to you," said Maggie impatiently. Ginny laughed,

"The summoning charm, of course! I can't believe I didn't think of it before. My class is learning it now in Charms," she finished, beaming. Maggie, though, was still confused,

"How will that help me?"

"Simple," said Ginny, "Whenever you're meeting Malfoy or whatever, you summon the Marauders Map, using the charm, and then Harry won't have it, so he can't use it!" She grinned, feeling very pleased with herself.

"That's perfect Gin, Thanks!"

"No Problem." Just then, Ron walked up to them, he was frowning. "Uh-oh," muttered Ginny.

"Why are you two being so mean to Hermione!" said Ron, his face a little red.

"We're not," Ginny yelled and Maggie nodded earnestly.

"She said that the two of you were excluding her," he said accusingly. Ginny rolled her eyes,

"We're not excluding her, it's just that..." She fell silent and looked at Maggie for help. Maggie said,

"Ginny was just telling me about her and Harry," looking Ron directly in the eyes, "And then your girlfriend just burst in and demanded that we tell her what we were talking about!"

"So," said Ron. Ginny jumped in yes,

"Yes, so---we are tired of her being so nosy all the time. She thinks everything is her business!" Ron stood there for a minute, trying to think of something to say, and finally he said quietly, looking at the ground,

"I hate to say it, but you do have a point." Ginny grinned triumphantly and gave Ron a threatening look.

"I think Hermione would just LOVE to know that you think that of her," she said smiling smugly at the horrified look on Ron's face. "Here's an idea," said Ginny still smiling smugly at Ron, "DON'T tell her what we said about her, she'll get all offended, and you know better than all of us how immature she is." Ron nodded,

"Oh I do know, I've had too many bad experiences with that." Maggie grinned,

"So we're cool?" Ron nodded in defeat.

"Great," said Ginny.

The three of them walked back to Harry and Hermione. Hermione gave Ron a questioning look and he shook his head, "Later." Ginny whispered to Harry and Maggie,

"I'm going to go talk to Hermione so she won't make Ron feel too guilty." Maggie nodded and Harry looked confused.

"What did Ron want," he asked. Maggie shrugged,

"He thought we were being mean to Hermione."

"Where you?"

"No," she said shortly. He changed the subject,

"So, how long do you think I should wait until I can openly go out with Ginny?" Maggie shrugged,

"I don't know, a week, two weeks, who cares?" she snapped, immediately regretting it.

"What's happened to you," asked Harry sounding hurt and concerned, "You're like a different person lately. Where did Maggie go?"

He stopped walking and just stood there. She shrugged and mumbled, "I don't know what you're talking about," and started walking again. Ginny, Hermione, and Ron were out of sight by now. He grabbed her arm and she stopped, and turned around, "What-do-you-want," she said through clenched teeth.

"I want to know what happened to you. You're not the same girl I used to know, my friend. You're like a stranger, your not acting like yourself. Always disappearing and then lying about it, you're a bad liar by the way. And then you're being mean to Hermione, your cousin, and now you've dragged poor Ginny into your web of lies."

He was finished and looked at her, waiting for her reply. She took a deep breath and sighed, and said quietly, "Are you done?"

"What?"

"Ok you are," she said. "Maybe I'm not the girl you thought I was. I'm not Ginny, and I'm not the perfect friend. I'm just ME. If I'm not good enough for you than don't be my friend. It's ok, I understand." As she finished her voice was shaking and she was obviously trying not to cry. She turned around and ran away.

A/N: The next chapter will have Draco again. Hope this chap was ok. Was Harry OOC at all? I know I keep asking that, but I just want to make sure. So plzzz r/r. thanks!