A/N: This chapter is really AU. All I have to say. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I am not lucky enough to as smart as to invent these characters myself. They are not mine. Too bad. –pout-

The Stone Speaks

Five: Invisibilty and Other Dark Arts

GINNY

Ginny stared at the door to the Entrance Hall. There was nothing particularly interesting about it, but it was easier to look at the door than at her friends. Seeing Ron and Hermione hurt; they always fought, but their care for one another was astounding. Seeing Harry and Luna hurt even more; Harry had never looked that way at Ginny. He had admired her, respected her, thought that she was pretty… but who was she kidding? He didn't love her. He never had, and never would. Sometimes Ginny just wished that her Prince Charming would hurry up and find her.

Ginny tugged away from Harry. She knew that he would be hurt and confused, but she honestly didn't care. If he wanted a cuddle, then he could cuddle Luna for God's sake.

"Gin," Harry said, "what's wrong?" His green eyes scanned her face, making her feel like she was sick, or unwell, and should be looked after. It infuriated her.

"I'm fine! Will you lay off a bit?" she snapped, sore about Luna, and her fingers found the amulet –

"Ginny?!" Harry gaped. "Ginny!" he shouted, causing Ron and Hermione to look back.

"Ron, Mione, Ginny's gone!" he cried, looking around desperately.

Ginny stared at her boyfriend. Is this a jokeShe then glanced down, and received the shock of her life when she discovered that she was GONE. "What – the – bloody - hell -" she gasped, stumbling away from her friends. "I'm – I'm – invisible!"

"Ginny!" Ron bellowed. "If you're here, tell us!" He was flailing his arms around, as if trying to catch her.

Ginny opened her mouth to aware them of where she was, but stopped when she saw Malfoy watching them intently. Unsure why, she turned, and fled up the grand staircase.

Her footsteps were light, but they still caused other students to frown and look for the source of the noise. She wheeled around a corner, heading towards the nearest girl's bathroom to see what on earth was happening to her.

Ginny saw the door to the bathroom, and she turned to it, and then saw Malfoy, standing in the doorway.

"Hello Weasley," he said boredly, examining the left sleeve of his robes. He didn't look up at her, only moved his examination to his other sleeve.

Ginny gasped, rather like a dying fish. "You – you –" she spluttered, her jaw dropped and almost touching the floor in shock. "You can see me?"

"No, actually, I can't," Malfoy said dryly, and it was now that he looked up. Ginny understood that he was looking where he guessed her face to be, but it was slightly strange having someone stare at your ear. "But I know that you're there."

"How?" Ginny said guardedly, though a little curiosity couldn't be hidden. "I'm invisible," she added, in case he had forgotten somehow.

"No, really?" Malfoy said sardonically. "I hadn't noticed! It's quite simple, Weasley – I come out of the Great Hall, your little gaggle of friends are shouting: 'Ginny's gone', and if you listen carefully you could hear tiny footsteps. I presumed that you hadn't done this before, couldn't believe what was happening and would soon run to the nearest female bathroom to see if you were still visible."

"But… but … why am I invisible?" Ginny said, trying to sound brave, but she was quite fearful of what was happening.

There was a terse silence, as though Malfoy knew something but didn't want to let on. Then he said, "I don't know… what's that necklace you're wearing? It's nice."

Ginny made an angry noise. "Malfoy! Now is not the time to be flirting with me! I'm invisible!" she snapped, her hand tightening around the necklace.

Malfoy's eyes widened at the accusation, and his ears flushed pink. "I am not flirting with you," he said flatly, "and as it happens, your problem is already solved. Look down."

Ginny glanced towards the ground, and saw her feet. "I'm – HERE," she whooped, causing some first years to huddle together nervously.

"Well done, Weasley," Malfoy said sarcastically, clapping his hands slowly to emphasise his mockery.

Ginny turned on him. "Malfoy, can you ever be nice or happy about anything? Tell me, do you stay up late each night and actually practice the whole jackass routine, or does it just come naturally?" she said heatedly, feeling warmth rise in her face until she knew that her cheeks must be glowing scarlet.

A stunned look crossed Malfoy's face, and then his face darkened like a stormy sea. "I hardly think you're one to talk, Weasley," he hissed, in a low, dangerous tone, "I may act annoying, but at least I've never killed anyone!"

Did his voice just shake? Ginny thought incredulously. No, I must have imagined it. She glared menacingly. "Well that will all change soon, won't it? I daresay all of his servants murder now or then," she snarled.

Malfoy's reaction was devasting, and Ginny knew instantly that her last retort had been way below the belt, but she didn't care. She met his shocked, ice-blue eyes with a death stare, before swivelling, and storming away, half-petrified as she walked that he would curse her from behind.

But he didn't, and as she turned the corner, Ginny could have sworn she saw him sitting on the floor, his back against the wall and his knees tucked up, looking like he might be sick.

Ginny sat in a dark corner of the library, not in a chair, simply sitting cross-legged on the rough carpet. She had lit the Lumos charm to give her enough light to read, and that was basically all she needed.

She was in her favourite part of the library (the Dark Arts. She sometimes longed that she could become Head Girl next year, after Hermione, so that Ginny could have access to the Restricted Section and read the really dark books, but that would be impossible) with a book open in her lap, reading calmly, pushing all thoughts of Malfoy out of her head.

Something stepped in front of Ginny, blocking much of her reading light, from where her wand was hovering. She looked up irritably, and found herself staring at a boy. "Harry?" she asked, squinting past her wand's light to see who it was.

"No," the Something said softly, clenching his hands anxiously and sighing.

Ginny's eyes narrowed as she vaguely recognized the voice – she Summoned her wand, and pointed the light away from her eyes. Then her theory was confirmed as she gazed up at Malfoy. She frowned. "What are you doing here?" she sighed; she couldn't be bothered to concentrate on always having a retort ready.

Malfoy looked terribly uneasy, and he shifted from side to side awkwardly. He coughed slightly, as if he didn't know where to start, and then mumbled, "You know I've never killed anyone…" There was a slight pause as he tried to gather the courage to call her Ginny, but couldn't, and left it.

Ginny frowned. "I'm sorry, Malfoy, but if I recall correctly, you have," she replied brusquely. "Remember a little something that happened in the divination tower?"

Malfoy paled. "Weas-Gin- that wasn't me," he cried. "I didn't do it. Professor Snape did."

Ginny stared. "Snape? Killed? Dumbledore?" she said, horrified. "But- he's still teaching at school! He could kill someone!"

Malfoy scowled. "He's not going to," he muttered darkly. "I'm beginning to regret coming to apologize…" He said the last part so quietly that Ginny nearly missed it, but she caught the words.

"Malfoy, I think you've forgotten that you haven't actually apologized yet," Ginny pointed out irritably.

Malfoy reddened. "Okay," he snapped. "O-kay. I meant to, and that's the whole point. How easy do you think this is for me, huh? Going up and apologizing to a younger girl in Gryffindor who ki-" Malfoy stopped abruptly, his words lost, and stared at the floor. "It's not easy."

Ginny looked at Malfoy contemplatively, her eyebrows furrowing together in thought. I shouted at him, insulted him, and struck out at him for being a Death Eater – and instead of hexing me where I stand… he comes and apologizes to me. Ginny found this slightly bizarre, but shrugged it away, and tried to think of something nice and meaningful to say to Malfoy before he slunk away, but she was quite stuck. Er… "I know it isn't," Ginny murmured, all that she could think of.

The Slytherin looked down and met Ginny's gaze. Then his blue eyes flickered downwards and fell on her book. "What are you reading?" he asked interestedly.

Ginny flushed a hot, embarrassed pink. "Nothing," she said hastily, snapping the book shut and sitting on it. "None of your business." She was being blunt and rude, and considering that Malfoy was starting to be friendlier, she felt mean, but no-one in the world knew about her love and obsession with the Dark Arts – and she didn't want her little secret-keeper to be Draco Malfoy.

A/N: Yes, Ginny Weasley is dabbling in Dark Arts, and we'll find out why laterrr…