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[Chapter 8]
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Ginny stumbled through the doorway of the Potions classroom in a complete daze. Snape stood at the front of the room. His black eyes darted in her direction, but she wasn't paying any bit of attention.

"So nice of you to join us, Ms. Weasley." The Potions Master jeered.

All eyes in the room were now on her as she finally came to reality. A few students snickered causing her to blush. Ginny realized she was still standing in the doorway.

Snape moved around the long table at the head of the classroom.

"5 points from Gryffindor" he nearly smiled "I suggest you take a seat before I deduct more."

Ginny didn't let it bother her. Snape for whatever reason was always unfair towards Gryffindor. To no ones surprise he usually took points from her house at any chance he saw fit. She could have been 20 minutes early and he would still take points away somehow. Ginny found an empty chair beside another Gryffindor and sat down. The classroom was made up of 6th and 7th years who received an "O" on their O.W.L.s although the class was predominantly made up of Slytherins because Snape played favorites. All of the other students were here because they needed to take Advanced Potions in order to score well on their N.E.W.T. exam at to end of 7th year. Ginny wasn't really sure what she wanted to do after Hogwarts yet, but it wouldn't hurt to score well on her exams so she could have more than one option for her future.

The lesson had barely begun, but Ginny already zoned out. She just couldn't focus. That whole scene in the corridor was the only thing she could think about. This entire time she was under the impression that what happened in the dungeons with Draco was a dream. Her face became red again when Draco filled her head. He'd surely lost his mind pulling a stun like that when other people were around especially Harry who was right in front of them. He's lucky no one saw. 'Was he trying to ruin his reputation?' She thought.

The Gryffindor boy seating beside her flashed the number "215" on a piece of parchment. Ginny blushed because he had realized she wasn't following the lesson. She nodded to him in thanks and flipped to that page in her used textbook. She sighed quietly to herself. It was going to be really difficult to concentrate today. They were barely a few weeks into school. She couldn't let her studies drop because of this. This was most certainly a serious problem. She needed to find Draco and talk to him. Maybe alone wouldn't be a good idea. That made her smile a little. She then quickly shook her head. Why did that make her happy? "I'm doomed..." She sighed to herself.

The lesson painfully carried on as it normally would. Ginny was beyond bored. She already knew a lot of this stuff because of Hermione. Snape suddenly paused in the middle of his lesson. His eyes looked past the students towards the door.

"Draco..." Snape said in his usual tone.

"See he's late and Snape doesn't take any points away from Slytherin." She grumbled to herself.

It took her brain a few moments to register what was accruing. Within seconds her entire body froze. 'Why is he here?!' She started to freak out. 'Oh Merlin please don't tell me his in this class too!'

All of the Slytherin girls swooned over Draco like he was a celebrity. It was enough to make anyone want to puke. Draco met Snape at the front of the Potions room and the two quietly began a discussion.

Ginny rolled her eyes. 'Gees… they wouldn't be all gaga if they had seen what happen earlier.'

Their conversation quickly ended and Draco made his leave. He purposely walked down the row Ginny's table was in. As he passed he ran his fingers across the desk top dropping a tiny piece of parchment. Ginny looked down at it for a moment before scooping it up into her hand. She looked up to meet Draco's eyes just in time to catch a wink. Ginny quickly looked around the room. No one seemed to notice. She glanced down at the paper in her hand and unraveled it without hesitating. There was only one word on it "Boathouse" her heart skipped a beat. She crumbled the paper up and through it in her cauldron.

"This is exactly what I didn't want." She mumbled under her breath.

After that Potions class took forever to go by. It was impossible for her to concentrate on this boring lesson and not think about Draco. What did he want to talk about? Would he try something again? Ginny sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time today. Her eyes were fixated on the clock waiting.

When the bell finally rang Ginny was the first one to her feet. Everyone began filing out of the Potions room and on to their next lesson. She couldn't get out of the room fast enough. When an undesirable voice called her name. Ginny turned around to see Snape approached her.

'Great, what now?' She thought forcing her eyes not to roll.

Snape handed her a slip of parchment. "That will be another 5 points from Gryffindor."

Ginny had a look of utter confusion on her face as the Professor returned to his desk. She looked down at the piece parchment.

DETENTION!
Reason: Not participating during the lesson
Time: Today at lunch

She didn't even bother to challenge it. She should have known better than to slack off in Snape's class. She really had no one to blame, but herself. She shoved the slip into her bag and left. Sensing how smug Snape must have been making things difficult for her. She sighed as she made her way up the stairs out of the dungeons and towards the Great Hall. Her next lesson was Charms with Professor Flitwick. His classroom wasn't too far from here. As soon as she made it to the entrance hall she look at the oak doors which were wide open during lessons. She glimpsed out at the grounds and paused for a few moments struggling to make up her mind. Ginny shook her head.

"Merlin's beard I must be going mental!" She nearly laughed at how reckless she was being. Willingly going into a snake pit without considering the consequences.

Ginny continued down the trail that led to the boathouse. Growing more and more nervous the closer she got to it. At this point she began to wonder if Draco would even be there or was this just a sick joke he was playing on her. He didn't exactly say when to meet in his note.

"I better not be getting another detention because of this crap." She grumbled.

"Another detention?" She heard a smug voice repeat knowing exactly who it was. "Are you being a naughty girl, Weaslette?" He snickered.

Ginny gasped in surprise has Draco emerged from the front of the boathouse.

"Malfoy..." She huffed. "Don't say such perverted things. It's embarrassing."

Draco laughed. "Why are you suddenly so innocent?" He jabbed. "It's really cute."

Ginny could feel the heat radiating off of her entire body. "I'm leaving!"

He quickly became serious. "Wait!" He pleaded chasing after her. "Ginny don't go."

He placed his hands on top of Ginny's shoulders stopping her. "Look I'm sorry, I just don't seem to know how to behave whenever I'm around you." He told her sincerely.

Ginny continued to blush refusing to make eye contact with him.

"Hey!" He gently shook her shoulders "Say something..."

Ginny looked up finally meeting Draco's gray eyes and frowned drawing her hand back slapping him hard across the face. This of course completely took Draco by surprise.

"What the hell was that for?" He shouted angrily rubbing his cheek.

"What do you think?" She quickly snapped back. "Don't you dare do something like that in front of other people again. Especially Harry, you prat!" She fumed.

Draco thought if it were possible smoke might actually come out of her nose like an angry dragon.

"So I can do it when we're alone?" He arrogantly challenged.

"Of course n-" She managed to get out before Draco kissed her.

Ginny's heart sank. It was as if she had forgotten how to breath. Why were things like this continuing to happen? Why wasn't she disgusted? Could she actually like Draco Malfoy? At that moment she broke their kiss and remembered how to breath. She put her hands on Draco's chest pushing him back so he was an arms length away from her.

"Please stop that." She couldn't make eye contact with him.

"Why?"
"We can't."
"It's not like you hate it."
"That's beside the point!"

Draco's eyes widened with surprise as Ginny gasped covering her mouth.

"No… I mean…" Ginny stumbled. "I didn't..." She blushed a very bright red.

Draco smirked watching as she seemed to argue with her thoughts. He found it to be quite amusing.

Ginny became so embarrassed she could surely die. 'Why did I blurt that out?' She thought.

Draco moved closer to her slipping his hand behind her back. "What has you so flustered?" He chuckled.

Ginny realized Draco was toughing her again.

"I'm leaving..." She said suddenly.

But she wasn't able to move due to his firm grip around her waist.

"You know you don't really want to." He snickered cuddling his nose into her neck.

Ginny drew in a very deep breath and Draco braced himself for what he expected to be yelling, but again she surprised him. As she exhaled her breath Ginny rested her forehead against his open shoulder.

"There's no way this could possibly work." She said almost upset by her own statement. Ginny lifted her head from his shoulder. "I won't sneak around like some mistress of the night."

This time Draco was the one that sighed. "You're right." He hated to admit it, but it was true. There would be so much backlash from all sides of the Wizarding World. "Should it really matter what everyone else will say?" He said more to himself than her. "You like me, right?"

Ginny blushed, but nodded. This honesty made Draco's blood boil. Was she trying to get herself gobbled up? He could feel his meter quickly raising to the point of no return. There was a long pause between them as they stared at each other.

"It would just be way too hard… neither of us need the extra stress I know it would bring us." She had to look away from him after that. His face looked so disappoint. Ginny wiggled her way out of his grip. "I'm sorry, but it's just best if we stay as we were before... Malfoy and Weasley."

She continued to look away from him. He actually seemed upset by her words. If she didn't escape now she might become emotional or change her mind. She quickly turned away and started up the trail to the castle.

"Break up with Potter!" Draco shouted after her. "And I will accept your terms."

Ginny stopped in her tracks forcing herself not to look back. Her heart was pounding so hard in her chest. She wanted to run back to him, but she forced herself to continue walking. The air went stagnant as Ginny disappeared from Draco's sight.

Sorry that this chapter is a little short. I've already started working on Chapter 9 and it should be up fairly soon.