Author's note: Erm. Well. Certainly has been awhile, has it not? :D I'm back with a new mission to make this mutha better to read. Also, it behooves you if you review. Constructively, por favor. Don't just say "OmG UR A FAG0T wheres tah nudez?" Please say, "You're a sophomoric dolt! Where's my erotica? I'm bone dry!" instead.

Time has the infamous property of being very relative. During precious moments, time washes away like a flash flood, carrying those moments like an uprooted tree away from you. During a drab moment, time turns into a slow pouring of molasses. Time never turns into drab molasses quite like when you're expecting something exciting.

And Draco hadn't expected such an exciting moment as what would happen tonight.

He was going to let everybody know that he wasn't going to kneel down and take his defeat. He was going to give them a bit of the same kind of intrusive misery they'd been giving him all these weeks.

He ran a finger down the instrument of his vengeance. The area where it lay looked as faded and decrepit as the mark itself. Trails of stark blue veins ran into the bend of his elbow, which had gotten quite sharp. His appearance was a perfect match to the current state of so many respected and feared pure-blood wizarding families, a sad testimony to better days.

Gaunt and frail as he looked, he was still powerfully attractive. He was dressed to fit the occasion in his finest, crisp black suit. An elegant ring on a delicate, withered hand demonstrated he still could afford nicer things than any of the victors.

He had the plan perfectly concocted in his mind. He'd disappear into Slughorn's office for a few congenial words, and then he'd sneak out to cast the Mark over Hogwarts. Naturally, this would take place after he'd given all his favorite people a warm welcome.

He'd ask Weasley how well the family was supporting itself after one of the owners of that ridiculous joke shop died, and the other made disabled. He'd tell St. Mungo's to commit Lovegood. He'd ask Longbottom if he'd seen Mummy and Daddy lately. He'd ask Granger if Mudbloods had gotten any more sexually desirable since the war. He'd be sure to tell Potter what a shame it was that he still wasn't dead after all that time. His heart palpitated in joy at these fantasies.

Yes, the reunion was much anticipated by Draco. His anticipation, however, was being matched by someone else miles away…

Ginny bounced around nervously in her dormitory. The reunion feast was scheduled to start shortly, and she began to doubt if Harry was going to show up at all. After all, it would be a terrible waste of a rather attractive girl. She had dressed in a rather short strapless cocktail gown that left little to the imagination. Even though it was a horrible thing to say, she had to admit: Her involvement in the Great War lead her to be able to have things she wouldn't normally have. She'd been getting into more money than she'd ever had in her life recently.

Besides the fan mail, and Ron & George siphoning a little money from Weasley Wizard Wheezes her way, Arthur had gotten a considerable raise from the Ministry. Her family really was on the way up. It was just a pity that it took such horror to achieve.

While the war had influenced Ginny's style considerably, the same couldn't be said for a trusted friend of hers, Luna Lovegood. Luna was dressed in a neon purple toga with swirling patterns of green, black, and magenta. Ginny reckoned she looked like one of those pictures where if you oriented your head the right way, you saw a moving image that the Muggles loved so much. Luna really hadn't been affected by recent events, which made Ginny value her friendship all the more.

Ginny paced around the dorm, which she had strewn with clothes in search of the perfect thing to wear. Luna was sitting on the bed, looking through Ginny's mail.

"I never get letters like you!" Luna exclaimed in her surprised, yet banal tone.

"Well, you should be thankful. I know they mean well, but they don't really know me, so it gets kind of annoying after a bit." remarked Ginny, plopping beside her.

Luna's eyes were scanning a letter she had opened. "This fellow seems really nice!" Luna beamed at the parchment.

"It's not that they aren't nice," Ginny continued. "It's that I don't really deserve it as much as other people do. I really feel like that they ought to direct this attention towards Harry." She smiled brightly at her words.

"You deserve it just as much as Harry does. And I don't think I would feel the same way about people sending those kinds of letters to Neville."

"What?" Ginny asked, puzzled. Luna handed her the letter. Ginny hastily opened the envelope.

My sweet Ginerva,

I've finally worked up the courage to confess my feelings towards you. I can't help but think we really belong together. I might not be as famous or as good looking as Harry, but I'd do things to you that he could only dream of. I'd kiss those delicious lips of yours, then I'd work my way down your neck, to your heaving sweater puppies, to your navel, until my tongue was inside your—

The rest of the letter was obscured by two rather large white splotches.

Ginny shrieked in horror and dropped the defiled parchment. She had never felt so revolted in her life. She immediately made plans to send this eager gentleman a howler, but as she feverishly searched the envelope, there was no return address.

"How are you and Harry?" asked Luna thoughtfully, breaking the tension.

Ginny sighed deeply. "I haven't actually heard from him. I figure that he probably can't send mail, knowing how crazy things have been lately."

"Yes, that must be it. Or he's been killed." Luna matter of factly stated.

Ginny didn't say anything else. That thought had lingered at the back of her mind constantly. Harry just didn't seem like the type to just drop communication, though. Surely it was security.

The faithful hour finally approached. Ginny had been waiting and waiting for this day, but now, as it was about to happen, she had some apprehension. She imagined seeing Harry would be awkward after not hearing from him for such a long time. Still, she desperately craved seeing him.

Ginny and Luna made their way down the staircases. The inviting fragrance of food greeted them as they walked, getting stronger the further they descended. The halls were bathed in a jubilant, golden light. Ginny never recalled seeing Hogwarts so festive.

When they reached the Great Hall, Ginny's eyes marveled at its beauty. The tables were gone, which Ginny figured was to be able to fit the mass amounts of people gathered. Some of them she recognized as Ministry officials. Others wore badges denoting them as journalists from The Daily Prophet. The attendees were all coated from the glowing lights of the walls & ceiling, which had been enchanted to look like solid gold. Radiant white sparklers sprung out from the walls. Jets of mead bubbled out from pearl fountains. The décor tonight made the Yule Ball look trashy.

She was just breathing in the scenery when she heard a familiar, very comforting voice. "Ginny!" Hermione Granger immediately stuffed her in her arms before Ginny could respond. "We've missed you so much! We've just been so busy we couldn't reply!"

The girls pulled out of their embrace. Ginny saw the other half of the "we" Hermione was referring to. It was her brother, Ron. Glad as she was to see him, it still hurt to look into his eyes. They both knew what the other was thinking: Fred was gone. Ron smiled a weary smile at her. "I really missed you two!" Ginny said, in the happiest tone she could muster while the look he was giving her made tears well up in her eyes.

"Ginny, you look amazing!" Hermione gushed as she looked her up and down.

Ron didn't respond in kind. He instead looked Ginny up and down reproachfully. "Come on, Ginny. You look like a total slag in that dress." He said resignedly. No later did the words come out when Hermione popped him upside the head with the back of her hand. "RON! Don't listen to him Ginny, you look so gorgeous."

Ginny flushed. "Thanks! Have you seen Harry here?" As glad as she was to see her brother and one of her best friends, Harry was still her main focus.

"We were just looking for him!" exclaimed Hermione.

"Well, I'll meet back with you when I find him!"

"Alright. Good to see you!" Hermione escorted Ron off as she waved goodbye to Ginny.

Ginny scanned through the crowds in frenzy. Every tall male with dark hair might be him. She was becoming discouraged that he wasn't here at all. Why wasn't he looking for her? As she searched, she ran into a curly-haired, prim blonde.

The blonde woman whipped around, looking severe. "EXCUSE ME? YOU RUDE LITTLE—My dear girl!" The woman grinned ear to ear. "What a thrill to be here with a celebrated warrior!" She clasped a hand with blood red nails on Ginny's shoulder. "Oh, I'm so honored to be—Rico, camera—with Ginny Weasley!" The woman pulled Ginny in very close as an armada of photographers took shots from every angle.

"Who are you?" Ginny cried out.

"Oh, how RUDE!" The woman exclaimed. "I'm Rita Skeeter! I'm head columnist for the Prophet!" she looked extremely satisfied with herself. "I was wondering if I could have a little word with you!"

"Erm, sure, I suppose." Ginny nervously replied.

Rita walked her away from the crowd a bit. "Now, dear" her voice quieted down. "I want you to tell me exactly what it was like when Harry killed You-Know-Who in your own words."

"I don't know. I wasn't there."

"Oh. Well, why don't you tell me just what's going on between you and Harry Potter?" Rita gave a devilish smirk. A levitating quill floated beside her.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not comfortable talking about that." Ginny wasn't going to risk making Harry mad divulging their personal business.

"Ah. I see." Rita replied smartly. The quill was scribbling furiously, even though Ginny had said very little. "Well, I suppose I'll be seeing you around then." She smiled and walked off, firmly clutching the parchment the quill had been writing on.

Ginny was worried about that strange witch ambushing her with questions, but she quickly shrugged it away. She was more worried about seeing Harry. This evening wasn't proceeding well at all. Tonight was full of confusion and stress. She couldn't be tenser…

Draco couldn't have been more relaxed as Slughorn poured him another glass of firewhiskey. "My dear boy, it's too good to see you well after all this nonsense!" Slughorn proclaimed jovially. He poured himself a glass and sat on the couch beside Draco. "You fared so well, considering the state your father was in when I saw him…" Slughorn's voice trailed off.

"We're doing absolutely fine. I have no idea what people are talking about when they say we're in a crisis." Draco pointedly stated as he sipped his drink.

"Well, seeing as how other wizarding families have been declining lately, it's no wonder they talk! Rudolphus Lestrange is inconsolable from what I hear. I haven't heard a peep from the Goyles, and don't get me started on the Crabbes…" Slughorn shook his head.

Draco didn't appreciate the reference to his dear friend or his aunt. "Either way, we haven't been letting these idiots get to us." He indignantly replied.

"Of course the Malfoys aren't! Your father was always quite unshakable. Why, he was a prefect in his day! And Narcissa was very bright, personal favorite of mine…" Slughorn seemed to become lost in a dear memory.

Draco had quite enough of Slughorn's reminiscing. He figured he'd given everyone enough time to arrive. The mark would make its impression felt shortly. He smilled and arose from the couch.

"Do excuse me for a moment, Professor." He said cooly. Draco didn't give him a moment to reply as he slipped out of Slughorn's office. He made his way onto the grounds. The night was very clear, the sky filled to the brim with silver stars. He rolled up his sleeve. The time for his revenge was at hand…

Ginny had looked and looked. She was devastated. Harry wasn't here. She had counted down the days to this supposedly joyous occasion. She had ensured she looked her best tonight. Her attempts were for nothing. He apparently cared nothing about her.

Tears were filling her brown eyes. She sunk down on a sofa, her head held in her hands. All she wanted to do was see her boyfriend. "Ginny!" She could practically hear him call out to her.

"Ginny!" There it was again. It sounded so real…

"Ginny!" It had gotten even closer. She looked up.

Harry was wearing a massive grin on his face. "Ginny, I've missed you!"

Ginny hadn't been so happy in a long time. She locked him in a tight embrace. She was never going to let him go again, not after such a terrible absence. Tonight couldn't be better.

A wizard busted in, mouth gaped open. "THE MARK! MARK IS UP!" A huge gasp fell over the crowd.

Ginny immediately realized what this meant. This isn't happening, she thought. He's not back…It was like she was trapped in a nightmare.

She was trapped in Draco's wildest dream.