Disclaimer: Unfortunately, my name isn't J. K. Rowling...which means that I own nothing. While you guys read, I'll go cry in a corner about the fact that I didn't create this marvelous world and these amazing characters.

I was looking forward to this detention since it was my last one and it didn't involve Malfoy. I had a certain spring in my step as I made my way to the library and walked into the crowded library.

Madam Pince greeted me coldly and then led me around the filled up tables to some back shelves. We passed Astoria and I saw her working with Malfoy, Blaise and Daphne. When she saw me, she grinned and waved while the others turned to see who she was grinning at. Malfoy and Blaise both snickered and turned back to their work.

The back shelf was huge, spanning half of the library wall. "You will be organizing this entire shelf. Some miscreants thought it funny to rearrange these books."

I blanched at the size of the shelf. It would take me all night. "I thought I was cataloguing?"

Madam Pince stared me down. "You'll do what I tell you to do. Now organize them in alphabetical order from the author's name without magic."

Without seeing if I understood, she turned on her heel and marched back through the shelves. I sighed, pulled the nearest book from the shelf and looked at the name; Alma Burnsnell. I stuck the book near the top where I assumed the B's would be.

I decided I would organize the entire shelf first and then alphabetize the sections. Pretty soon I had a steady pace going and Madam Pince didn't come to check on me once. I figured I was about halfway done when a drawling voice interrupted my calm silence I had been working in.

"Having fun Weasley?"

I knew it was Malfoy so I refused to look at him. "What do you want Malfoy?"

"I don't usually…but Astoria…," he cleared his throat before going on. "I want to say thank you."

I dropped the book I was holding in surprise and spun to stare at him. He was leaning against the bookcase, his arms crossed and looking a bit uncomfortable. "What?"

"I went back to the dungeons last night and saw that you finished up. So thank you."

I was dumbstruck. "Ah—you're welcome."

"Don't think it's a common occurrence that I say thank you though," he warned, suddenly growing distant again.

"Don't do that," I said softly.

He frowned. "Do what, exactly, Weasley?"

I gestured to his stiff posture. "Don't suddenly grow distant. You seemed almost human there for a minute."

Malfoy shifted self-consciously. "Well, Astoria made it pretty clear to me last night that you guys are good friends and that you were going to be hanging out with us now and then. So she suggested I extend the olive branch to you instead of her having two friends who are constantly at each other's throats."

"That makes sense."

"So, I'm only going to offer this once Weasley," said Malfoy, gaining back his composure. "Let's try to be civil towards each other. We'll both try to refrain from killing each other."

"That's going to be hard to do since you constantly get on my nerves but I'm willing to try," I said, smirking.

"If we're doing this, keep your brother on a leash."

I nodded and extended my hand. "Let's start over. I'm Ginny Weasley."

"I don't touch blood traitors."

"Well so much for civility," I said, raising an eyebrow and letting my hand drop.

"It's a reflex whenever a Weasley approaches me," he drawled.

"Well if we're doing this, I'll keep my brother and his friends from bothering you if you try to refrain from insulting me every five seconds."

Malfoy sighed and slowly extended his hand like he wasn't sure if he wanted to hold it out or not. "Fine. I'm Draco Malfoy."

I grasped his hand but almost let it drop instantly. I didn't want to push my luck with this delicate balance we had just achieved. I realized how out of my comfort zone I was. I wasn't used to dealing with a Malfoy that actually acted decent.

"So…I'll just get back to my detention then."

"Here," he said, walking closer and pulling out his wand. With a wave, books flew off the shelf and replaced themselves in what I assumed was alphabetical order.

"Madam Pince said I wasn't allowed to use magic. She'll know if I finish this too quickly," I protested.

"Then we'll do this," he said. He rearranged some books in their sections by hand. "Now she'll think you did it because magic wouldn't have messed up the alphabet."

Malfoy was acting decent again and it made me a tad uneasy. "Umm…thank you."

"Astoria said you were going to study with her after your detention," said Malfoy, pocketing his wand. "Your detention is done so just come study with us. I promise I won't insult you in any way."

I grinned and grabbed my bag I had left to the side of the bookshelf. "Sure."

Malfoy led me around the shelves until we came to Astoria's table.

"Look who I found," he said, sitting back in his chair.

"I was wondering where you went to," said Blaise. "Oh, hey Ginny."

"Done your detention?" asked Astoria.

I nodded and plopped down in the seat between Astoria and Blaise.

"Great. So what homework do you have this week?"

"There's our detention free friend!" called Evanna as I climbed through the portrait hole.

"Hey."

"You sound tired," said Florence. She had books open in front of her to do homework while Evanna sat on the floor and played with Hermione's cat, Crookshanks.

"I'm exhausted. Astoria made me work for two hours straight on Transfiguration without even a five minute break. I swear my brain is melting."

"On the plus side, Quidditch season is starting," said Evanna.

"How is that a plus? I'm just going to get farther behind in homework."

"When is your first practice?" asked Florence. She crossed something out on her parchment furiously.

"Tomorrow."

"At least you can use the weekend to try and catch up," said Evanna.

"Only if Harry doesn't pull an Angelina Johnson and schedules a practice every evening," I groaned.

Evanna grinned. "With the luck you seem to be having, I bet Harry will schedule practice every day."

"Excuse me, you're Ginny Weasley, right?" asked a high voice suddenly.

A small first year girl was standing in front of me, obviously uncomfortable.

"Yeah, I am."

"I was told to give this to you." She held out a small scroll adorned with a violet ribbon and once I took it, she scampered off.

"What is it?" asked Florence, throwing down her quill.

I scanned the note and threw it into the fire. "An invitation to a party for Slughorn."

"When?" asked Evanna.

"I don't know, I didn't read it all the way through. I'm not going anyway."

"Oh look at our little popular Ginny," teased Evanna. "Too popular to go to a teacher's party."

"Sod off," I laughed.

It was halfway through October when we got our first Hogsmeade visit. Draco and Blaise often started joining Astoria and I in our study sessions so I seemed to mostly always be caught up in all my subjects. Harry hadn't started scheduling Quidditch practices as vigorously as Angelina but when we did practice, we practiced for hours at a time.

I had found myself becoming closer with my Slytherin group of friends in the past few weeks; especially Astoria, Draco and Blaise. Just last weekend, I had somehow managed to get Astoria to go for a fly with me even though she cursed almost the entire time. Evanna and Florence seemed to accept this but Adrian's warning echoed in my mind often.

So far I hadn't noticed any Death Eater activity from any of them but I had noticed slight physical differences in Astoria, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle. Astoria almost always had dark circles under her eyes and she regularly looked wan. Draco, who was usually pale, seemed to grow paler and thinner while Crabbe and Goyle seemed to be constantly tired.

I had no idea what was going on and I was scared to offend them by asking if maybe they were all just sick. Something in my gut told me that they weren't sick but I ignored it. They were my friends and I trusted them enough to tell me what was going on if they needed me.

"Are you sitting with us or are you sitting with them?" asked Evanna.

"I'm sitting with you. I just want to go talk to Astoria for a moment."

I had been sitting at the Slytherin table more and more frequently, much to Ron's annoyance. I had kept my promise to Draco though and headed Ron off whenever he seemed inclined to march up to me when I was at the Slytherin table. Ron and I had been having a lot of rows in the common room about my new friends and lately, Harry and Dean had been siding with Ron.

Draco had also kept his promise. Whenever we were around each other, he refrained from calling me Weaslette or blood traitor. He still called me Weasley but he now said it as a nickname instead of with its usually accompanying sneer.

"Hey," I said, sliding onto the bench between Draco and Astoria and nicking a piece of bacon from Draco's plate.

"Hey Gin," said Astoria. She was playing with her full bowl of cereal.

"Are you guys going to Hogsmeade?" I asked.

"I have detention with McGonagall," said Draco sourly. I couldn't help but notice the dark shadows under his eyes.

"And I'm staying to do homework," said Astoria, giving up on her cereal and pushing it away. "The rest are going though."

"Are you going to join us?" asked Blaise, waggling his eyebrows.

"No, I'm going with Dean. I was just seeing if we could meet up or something."

Blaise frowned. "Meet up with Thomas? No thanks."

I shrugged and stood up. "Just an offer."

"We'll be at the Three Broomsticks if you decide to join us without Dean though," said Daphne.

"Have fun with Dean," said Astoria, rubbing her eyes and attempting to smile.

I nodded and turned to Draco. I teasingly shoved his shoulder. "What did you do to get detention?"

For a brief moment, his tired looking grey eyes lit up. Almost as soon as it appeared, it vanished with a frown. "I didn't hand in my Transfiguration homework twice in a row."

"Shame on you. Maybe you should spend more time doing homework in our study sessions instead of always drawing on parchment."

"Your brother is watching us," growled Draco suddenly. He looked back at me with a tired smirk on his face. "Go back to your table Weasley before he marches over here and makes another scene."

"Well, have fun doing detention and homework," I called.

I wondered if Astoria was behind on homework because she was always trying to help me. I felt a pang of guilt but quickly pushed it down. She always worked whenever I worked so there was no way she would be far behind. Maybe she just had an essay due on Monday.

I sat back down at the Gryffindor table with Evanna and Florence and then almost instantly jumped up again. "Darn, I forgot my scarf and gloves. If Dean asks, I'll be right back down.

I ran up to my dormitory, grabbed my Gryffindor scarf and gloves, and dashed back down the stairs. I was just in the Entrance Hall when Dumbledore suddenly walked inside from outside.

"Good morning Ms Weasley," said Dumbledore, bowing his head slightly.

"Good morning, sir."

Dumbledore reached into his cloak and pulled out a small scroll. "Would it trouble you to deliver this to Harry for me?"

I gingerly took the scroll. "Of course, sir."

"Thank you Ms Weasley."

Dumbledore walked away in the direction of his office and I walked back into the Great Hall. People were starting to get up from breakfast and dress themselves warmly for the cold wind outside. I dashed to where Harry, Ron and Hermione were, thankful that Harry hadn't left yet.

"Hey, Harry, I'm supposed to give you this."

"Thanks Ginny…its Dumbledore's next lesson!" he said excitedly to the others. He quickly pulled it open and scanned it. "Monday evening!" Harry turned to look at me with a huge grin. "Want to join us in Hogsmeade, Ginny?"

"I'm going with Dean—might see you there," I said, waving at them as I left their side.

I found Dean waiting in the Entrance Hall and I joined him, looping my arm through his. Things has been a little tense with us since he sided with Ron in our arguments about my Slytherin friends but we were trying to act like the arguments were no big deal.

"Ready?" he asked.

I hastily wrapped my scarf around my neck, slipped on my gloves, zipped up my jacket and looped my arm with Dean's again. "Ready as I'll ever be in this cold."

Filch was wanding everyone with a Secrecy Sensors before he let them out of the castle for Hogsmeade. Once Dean and I passed, we were hit suddenly with the chill wind.

The walk into Hogsmeade was not enjoyable. The road to the village was full of students bent double against the bitter wind. I thought longingly of the crackling fire in Gryffindor Tower and how much more fun it would have been to sit by the fire instead of enduring the icy wind.

"Madam Puddifoots or Three Broomsticks?" Dean yelled over the wind as we came into town.

I thought how Blaise, Daphne, Zane, Pansy, Theodore, Crabbe and Goyle would all be holed up in the Three Broomsticks and I knew it probably wouldn't be pleasant if I showed up with Dean. "Madam Puddifoots!"

I followed Dean to Madam Puddifoots and he held open the door for me. It was a cozy little coffee shop usually used by couples. I was just grateful for the warmth as I led Dean through the tables of happy couples to an empty table in the corner.

Before we had even settled in, Madam Puddifoot was at our table with a notepad. "Ah—another Hogwarts couple on a date. What can I get for you?"

"Umm, just tea," I said.

"Same," said Dean, nodding.

When Madam Puddifoot walked off to get our tea, Dean turned to me. 'So, it feels like I haven't spoken to you in a while."

"You know it's because I'm busy. I have Quidditch and homework. It is my OWL year, remember?"

"You seem to have enough time for your new friends?"

"Do not start this," I said angrily.

"I agree with Ron about your new friends," he said simply.

"They aren't exactly new friends anymore," I pointed out. "I've been hanging around with them for a long time now."

"Still, they're Slytherin."

"Oh, you are so Gryffindor!" I scoffed. "With all this Gryffindor pride and how we all have to hate the Slytherins."

We hushed up our argument when Madam Puddifoot came back with our teas. Once she was out of earshot, Dean jumped right back in.

"Are you saying you think Gryffindor pride is stupid?"

"It kind of is Dean! Did you even listen to the Sorting Hat for the last two years!?"

Dean threw up his hands. "So now you're listening to a hat over your boyfriend?"

"Well the Sorting Hat wants us all to be united. So what if I'm taking this house unity thing to heart!"

Dean shook his head furiously. "It really is a sad day when a guy's girlfriend won't listen to him!"

"I don't have to listen to you! You aren't my mother or my father! And I can think for myself, thank you very much!"

I shoved away from the table and stalked out into the brittle wind, leaving behind my untouched tea and a stunned Dean.

Even though I craved the blazing fire in the common room, I figured Dean would immediately go back to the castle. So instead, I decided to see if Blaise and the others would still be in the Three Broomsticks.

I was greeted with a rush of warmth as I pushed open the door and looked around. I spotted Blaise sitting with Daphne, Zane and Pansy in a booth in the corner. I ordered a Butterbeer and made my way over to their table.

"Hey Weasley, decided to drop the boyfriend?" asked Blaise as I sat beside him.

"We got into a fight," I explained. I took a sip and it seemed to warm me down to my toes. "Where's Theodore, Crabbe and Goyle?"

"They all decided to stay up at the castle," said Blaise.

"They were smart," I said. "It's freezing outside."

"Did you just call Crabbe and Goyle smart?" asked Zane.

I grinned. "Oops. That's definitely not true."

"So what did you guys fight about?" asked Daphne. I noticed that Pansy was just sitting in the corner of the booth, glaring at me.

"You guys, actually."

"Why?" asked Zane.

"He doesn't like me being friends with you guys."

"Did you hex him?" asked Blaise, sounding hopeful.

I shook my head. "No, but I yelled and then ditched him at Madam Puddifoots."

Daphne wrinkled her nose. "Ew, you guys went there?"

I shrugged. "I figured it would be quieter than here and I wasn't banking on a fight. We haven't really been seeing eye to eye lately so I was hoping that we would just talk today like we normally do."

"And no such luck," said Blaise, throwing his arm around my shoulder. "His loss, our gain."

I spent the remainder of the afternoon with Blaise and the others and then we trouped back up to the castle together. Other than the argument with Dean, it was a fun Hogsmeade day and I only wished that Astoria and Draco had been with us too.

"Well, see you guys," I said, veering to the staircase on the left. I waved to them as they trudged down to the dungeons together and then I climbed the stairs up to Gryffindor Tower.

I must have been one of the last ones back because the common room was filled with pink cheeked students. The common room had the distinct smell of wet wool.

I made my way through the crowd and up to my dormitory. I was surprised to see Florence and Evanna sitting on their beds talking.

"Hey, guys," I said, throwing my outdoor things in my trunk.

"You haven't heard?" asked Evanna.

"Heard what?" I asked absentmindedly as I searched in my trunk for a sweater to pull over my t-shirt. "I just got back."

"Hermione just told us but she said no one else knows," said Florence, fidgeting on her bed.

I found a sweater and pulled it over my head. I smoothed down my hair and settled on my bed. "Hermione told you what?"

"Katie Bell," said Florence. "She was cursed by a Dark necklace on the way back from Hogsmeade."

Getting reviews actually really makes my day so I hope you review and make my day :)

I want to know what you guys think so far of the progression of Ginny and Draco. What do you think of them so far?

Anyways, it's getting hectic as it gets closer to Christmas so I'm hoping I'll be able to post at least one more chapter before Christmas. Maybe my amazing readers can give me the gift of more reviews for a Christmas gift :) If I can't update before Christmas, I wish you all a safe and happy holiday!