AN: You wanted it, so here it is. Chapter 5.
Ginny was right about Ron's reaction when she and Draco strolled casually into the Great Hall, chatting as if they'd been friends all their lives. He leapt up from the Gryffindor table and dragged her bodily away from the "evil Slytherin".
"How could you, Ginny, it's Malfoy, future Death Eater, Slytherin, bane of our lives…"
"Shut up Ronald, I know all that. I also happen to know that I'd be very seriously injured right now if it wasn't for him. So don't accuse me of anything when you don't know what happened."
Ron looked shellshocked. His little sister had basically told him that Malfoy wasn't all that bad.
"OK, Gin, what did he hex you with?"
Ginny rolled her eyes, and Hermione chose this moment to cut in.
"Ron, shut up. If Ginny says he helped her, then he helped her. We don't know why, but does it really matter? End of story."
"Thanks, Mya." Ginny was grateful for the interruption.
Breakfast, after all the commotion, was uneventful. On the way out, however, Draco sneaked up behind Ginny, who was walking with the Golden Trio, and casually slung one arm over her shoulders. As if it was the most natural thing in the world, she wrapped an arm around his waist. Hermione chose that moment to look round at Ginny, and the astonishment clearly showed on her face.
"Don't say anything, don't say anything!" Ginny mouthed frantically. Hermione nodded, and turned to speak to Ron instead, distracting him so that he didn't look round.
Ginny breathed a sigh of relief. In the entrance hall, the pair paused for a few moments.
"You do realise Ron would have killed us both if he'd seen, don't you?"
"That's half the fun of it." He smirked, finding it amusing that she actually cared what her brother thought. "The mudblood's got brains though, I'll give her that."
Fixing him with her sternest glare, Ginny told him, "Never call Hermione a mudblood. I don't care if you use her last name, but don't call her that."
"Just don't expect me to use her first name."
"I don't."
Madam Pomfrey, who was heading downstairs, chose that moment to spot her missing patient, and order her back to the infirmary.
"You too, Mr Malfoy. You hardly slept last night. Off you go."
She pushed them in the right direction, and then watched until they were out of sight.
"A Malfoy and a Weasley? Interesting."
Their entrance and exit from the Great Hall had not gone unnoticed by Severus Snape.
"Now, Severus. Don't discourage the boy. This might be just what he needs to get out of Lucius's clutches." Minerva McGonagall, quickly realising how the situation could be an advantage in the approaching war.
"I understand, Minerva, one less Death Eater is a good thing. However, I don't think he'll escape from Lucius so easily."
"Nevertheless, I think Ginevra Weasley will be a very good influence."
AN: Still want more? Leave a review to tell me!