Chapter 10: Mixed Messages

The weather started to chill down, and just as Ginny started getting into the potion lessons with Draco, she got sick. Someone sent her a picture of the night to cheer her up. She had a strong feeling it was Draco, though she couldn't figure out why he'd send it. She imagined why, but that certainly wasn't it.

"So are you still being tutored?" Harry asked as he flipped through a quidditch book. Ginny was on the floor of the common room, hogging all the pillows as she colored. Yes colored.

"Yup."

"Don't mind the dungeons at night?"

"Nope."

"Learning anything interesting?"

"Yeah."

"Is Malfoy bothering you."

"Nope."

"Are you going to do one word answers all night?"

"Yup."

"Alright then," Harry responded, closing his book. He got up and started to walk away. He quickly spun around though.

"Do you like Malfoy."

"Yes." Ginny dropped her crayon and covered her mouth, eyes wide.

Harry's face went absolutely white. He couldn't believe it. He didn't think she'd just openly say it like that…

"I suspected it…. I just hoped it wasn't true… Snape…. 5 perfect papers in a row… Ginny, are you pretending to be dumb to be near… to be near… MALFOY? A Malfoy! What's wrong with… Dean…. Neville… ANYONE other than MALFOY? Oh Ginny, what have you done?" Harry exclaimed as he collapsed on the coach.

"What have I done? What have I DONE? Who are you to tell me if I'm allowed to like someone or not! What, jealous that I'm not following you around anymore? If I did like DRACO Malfoy, it would be none of your business!" Ginny shrieked. The paintings on the wall covered their ears.

"Will you keep it down?" Harry whispered, covering her mouth. "Want everyone to know you like him? So… you don't? But you got 5 perfect papers in a row? Why haven't you stopped the tutoring thing if you don't like his company…"

"It's not the essays I have problems with Harry James Potter. It's the in class potions. And it isn't even any of your business what I do in my spare time. Is it cutting into Quidditch? No. So leave it alone."

"Well if you didn't like him, why did you say you did? Trying to give me a heart attack? Don't I have enough stress with the Voldemort after me?" Harry asked a little upset.

"I thought you were asking me if I'm coming to bed too."

"Then… you don't like him." Harry asked, hope all over his voice.

Ginny considered it for a while and finally said, "No. I do not like him."

"Oh thank god!" Harry ran up to Ginny and gave her a hug. He quickly realized what he was doing and let go of her, a little pink in the face. "Well… I'm going up."

As he entered the boys' dorm, Ginny sat down on the couch and mumbled, "At least one of us believes it…"

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"So everybody is clear on that right? We're trying something new this year and we'd like it to go smoothly. Okay, meeting adjourned," Hermione chirped, very proud of how well the prefects meeting went.

It was pretty late and most students ran off to their common rooms, but not the ones signed up for patrol duties.

"You two need to stick around, it's your night to watch the halls," Ron announced to Ginny and Draco.

"What are you, my mother?" Malfoy asked sarcastically.

"If I were your mother, I'd make sure you didn't dress like such a girl," Ron snapped back.

"Watch it Weasley. Just because you can't afford clothes doesn't mean you have to rag on mine! Come on Weasleyette, I don't have all night," Draco scowled.

"On the contrary, we're on duty till 3," Ginny replied, smiling.

"Don't start. I don't need this from you."

"Oh? Are we such good friends now? Are you going to start telling me about your crushes and all the new shoes you bought the other week?" Ginny asked.

"You know, I think I detected a smidge of sarcasm in that comment. Good job," Malfoy retorted, smirking in her direction. The finally stopped walking and he leaned against a wall. "So how about that 'costume ball'. Are you taking anyone?"

"Doesn't the young man ask the girl? Anyway, I think I rather go alone," Ginny shrugged.

"You mean you don't have anyone to go with then. Yeah, I think I'm going with someone, thanks for asking," Malfoy nodded to himself.

"Oh you mean Pansy?"

"Only as a last resort. What are you going as anyway." Draco laughed.

"A scarlet woman." Ginny responded.

"Well in that case…"Draco whispered, moving closer to her, but Ginny began to laugh.

"You can never be serious can you…" she asked, sighing. All Draco did was shrug and start to walk down the hall. When he noticed she wasn't following he yelled, "well are you coming or not?"

Little did Ginny know, Draco sort of thought he meant it in a serious way.

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