Sorry it's been so long! Between having to go to the dentist and being sick, the only way I've survived is to write! So, my misery is your joy. Ahh, isnt life grand?

Thanks to ingsception for review!

OnMyHighHorse: glad you like it! :)

ToDecember: snowball fights rule! heh. And thanks! I'm trying to keep them on a nice gradual change, nothing too fast. I dont like it when they immediatly forgive and forget and go straight to loving each other too ;) It's the journey that matters...or something like that lol. So, kisses will have to wait just a little while longer sadly.

Anyways, here's chapter 18 finally, and yes it is short but more is coming soon ) I've already written 19 and 20 and I can't wait to see what yall think! They were really fun to write. Well, enjoy!

"So, let me get this straight. You found Potter and Chang snogging in the Gryffindork common room?" Malfoy asked slowly, his upper lip curling in disgust. Ginny nodded in agreement as she walked beside him back to the castle.

"Yep, they were practically sucking each other's faces off. It was nauseating," she replied dramatically, scrunching her nose up. The other teenager let out a snort, rolling his silver eyes at her.

"Please do go on, I would simply love to have that particular image pop into my mind every time I snog a girl," he remarked sarcastically with a sideways glance at her.

Isn't she the least bit upset that she caught her boyfriend, well ex-boyfriend, snogging another girl so soon after their breakup? Hmm, maybe she's tougher than she looks. Not that there's anything wrong with the way she looks, he mused, once again having to stop himself from staring too long at her pale pink lips.

Ginny let out a twinkling laugh, bringing his thoughts back to their proper place. "I know right? And speaking of snogging, I've heard rumors that you've been avoiding a certain female Slytherin member," she commented slyly.

At the mention of Pansy, he shivered slightly and shot a hard glare towards the scarlet haired girl staring at him innocently. "Don't remind me," he muttered gloomily, ignoring the muffled snickers coming from Ginny.

When they reached the castle doors, Malfoy's whole attitude changed. A cold, blank expression came over his features, and the light died out of his silver eyes. Ginny knew that he was mentally preparing himself to face the rest of the students, and kept a respectful silence.

Quietly pushing the doors open, they took a tentative step forward, bracing themselves for the stares and accusations. Ginny's shoulders slumped as she caught sight of Harry and Ron waiting for them with stormy expressions, arms crossed tightly over their chests.

"Look out, it's your two watchdogs," Malfoy muttered to her before attempting to slink past the duo using a group of fourth years as cover.

"Stop right there Malfoy!" Ron yelled as he surged forward to grab the blond teenager by the front of his robes. Malfoy let out a strangled yelp as his oxygen was cut off and desperately reached for his wand, but Ron snatched it away from him before he could.

"Ronald Weasley! You stop that right now! Let him go before I hex you to next Thursday!" Ginny shouted as a hard, blazing look sparked to life in her brown eyes. Harry stepped up next to her and whispered something to her, but she pushed him away and stormed up to her brother who cowered before the frightening sight of a furious Ginevra Weasley.

"B-but Ginn-eeeeey. . . ", he whined, attempting to calm her down before she inflicted bodily harm on him. She looks so much like Mum right now that it's down right scary, he thought to himself with wide eyes

"No Ron! Shut up and let him go or else," she ground out with clenched fists. "I am sick and tired of you running my life Ron. I can be seen with whoever I want. It's none of your business," she continued in a dangerously low tone.

Malfoy used the distraction to punch Ron in the face and grab his wand. "I'll teach you to touch me Weasel!" he spat, pointing his wand directly at Ron's now blackened eye with a cruel sneer. Ginny grabbed his arm in desperation, not wanting to see either of them hurt. "Draco stop!" she pleaded, staring deep into his furious eyes.

For a second, his arm wavered, torn between the desire to please her and the need to get his revenge on her brother. Ron finally fished his own wand out of his pocket and whipped it towards Malfoy with a livid glare.

The sight brought back memories of The Dark Lord using the crucio curse on him and the walls came up around his heart once again. His eyes darkened and his jaw clenched before the mask came over his face.

"Shut up Weasley. Don't you dare touch me, you filthy blood-traitor," he told her coldly, shaking her arm off easily.

Ginny stumbled back with a stunned expression, her eyes reflecting the hurt and anger inflicted by his words. His heart constricted as he saw her staring back at him with pain written all over her. Why did he say that? Why did he have to ruin everything?

He lowered his wand and took a hesitant step towards her. "G-Ginny? I d-didn't mean. . . ." he tried to say, but Ron suddenly let out an enraged roar and sent a spell flying toward him. Malfoy felt something hit him in the back, sending him crashing to the floor at her feet, before everything went black.

The last thing he saw was Ginny staring down at him with a cold, hard look on her face, unshed tears glittering in her eyes like liquid diamonds.

Bloody fantastic work there Draco!

Oh shut up. . . .

Ahh Malfoy. Two steps forward and three steps back. But, dont worry! All will be made well in the next two chapters :) Hopefully. . . . hehe. Was the ending a little too dramatic? Hmm. Tell me what yall think! ;)