Chapter 9:

Confessions

"So, Ronald, did you share a New Years kiss with Hermione," Fred teased.

Ron blushed so hard, stammering out a weak excuse for a comeback. Hermione also flushed unable to speak out against the twins.

"So you did," George smiled excitedly.

"Brilliant. Tell us how it happened," Fred pressed for information.

"Leave them alone," Ginny rolled her eyes, "don't you boys have better things to do?"

"So should we ask you then if you shared a New Years kiss," George smirked.

Everyone's attention was on her. Ginny's mouth opened wide and she looked around the room at everyone. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Bill, Charlie, Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Molly and Arthur, she knew that her mother and father would accept Kalya and her's new found relationship, but she wasn't sure how any of her brothers would take it and she didn't know how the rest of them would think about it.

"I kissed her," Kalya stated simply, bringing every ones attention onto her.

"You did what," Ron cried out.

"I heard the countdown. I waited till the New Year and I shared my first New Years kiss with her because I couldn't think of anyone I would have wanted to share that moment with more," Kalya nervously looked from face to face.

Ginny started to panic; she wasn't sure how her family was going to take the news and was scared they would be banned from seeing each other. Her nerves on high end she looked from face to face wondering what they thought.

Cries of 'she's a Slytherin' and happier remarks of congratulations were called out.

"Boys," Molly screamed calming the house down, "I know you all feel so strongly against the Slytherin students. But, I approve of Ginny seeing Kalya. She is a sweet girl and is on our side, I don't see why you think she can't see her."

"I agree with Molly," Arthur nodded his head.

"If my daughter wants to see Ginny, there isn't anything wrong with it in my eyes," Sirius stated.

"Do you even know who she hangs out with at school," Ron cried out.

"She spends all her time with Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini," Harry put in.

"Blaise Zabini is actually on our side. He went to Dumbledore for help to remove him from his Mum's care until the war is over," Remus said.

"Well, Draco Malfoy is still evil and I'm pretty sure he is a Death Eater," Ron cried.

"No, he is not a Death Eater. He is going to be going to Dumbledore soon. He will be fighting on our side," Kalya stood proudly; "I would never be friend a Death Eater."

"Salazar Slytherin only allowed pure-bloods in and passed down that muggle lovers are horrible people," Harry pointed out.

"As it is, I am Half-Blood and proud of that fact. Raised as a muggle," Kalya frowned.

"Enough," Ginny cried out, "I will see who I want to see, and you can't stop me. Mum and Dad said I can, and you boys can't control me."

"We like her," Fred and George spoke simultaneously.

"From what I have seen over break, she had done nothing but been kind to everyone. Helped out and she gave gifts to all of us, even though she didn't know us," Billy pointed out.

"She didn't give me a gift," Harry's confusion was not hard to miss.

"Everyone received a green unmarked wrapped present. On the back of the paper was the Slytherin crest. I gave everyone a present in that paper," Kalya sighed.

"You gave me my broom," Ron asked shocked.

"Why would you give such expensive gifts to us," Harry asked.

"Simple, because I know you wanted them, and yet you either couldn't afford it, or didn't feel right in buying it for yourself. I know what it's like, to see things, to want them. I know how it is to wish you could be anywhere but here. I just wanted to do something nice for you guys, to show that no matter what you say about me, I care about you anyways.

You may never like me, you may never get to know the real me because all you see is the label of Slytherin. I'm a normal girl, I have feelings and emotions. I chose to take the time and talk Draco and Blaise onto our side. I chose to be friends with Ginny because she actually saw me.

I moved away from my old school, because so much had happened to me. My brother dying, my parents already lost, and when my girlfriend of almost two years moved away, all my friends stop treating me like a normal person. They treated me like a porcelain doll. I came here to get a fresh start.

The hat gives you a choice to choose the house you wanted to be in. I couldn't believe I had a choice! I could pick something for the first time in my life. I couldn't pick when my parents died, or my brother. I couldn't choose to keep my girlfriend in America. But now, I had my chance. I chose Slytherin.

Honestly, I loved everyone in Gryffindor, so kind and loving. But I saw something in Draco and Blaise over Christmas. I saw something that no one else did because no one would give them a chance. We are all humans and we aren't given the choice to choose our lives, they are laid out for us, but what we do with our lives is our choice.

I have never done anything mean to you. I went out of my way to always say sorry for the rude remarks Draco and Blaise said. I always pulled them away and kept them out of trouble. I protected you in the Ministry and I made sure you got out alright. I did what I could to help you in every way possible only to be met with hate for a man that started this feud long before we were born.

I never speak ill of you. I only say nice things or nothing at all if I can't answer the question. I try to talk to you to see if you can give me a chance. I wanted to be your friends. I have never and will never harm you in any way, and yet you hate me for someone else's actions. Someone else's decisions, things I couldn't control.

Will you ever just stop judging me for actions and words I never committed? Will you ever accept me and allow Ginny peace at mind that her brother's and his friends actually like me? Or will this war between these two houses hold all of us apart and create a rift between us to far apart to close?

I am simply asking to get to know me. Get to know the girl I am and not the Slytherin. Take away that title and sit down with me. Ask me questions, grill me about my life. Make me spill my secrets and know the person I am. And then and only then, if you don't like what you hear, hate me all you want and I will gladly accept that."

"She has a point Ron," Hermione sighed.

"Fine, tomorrow we will sit down and talk," Ron huffed.

The Golden Trio sat across from Ginny and Kalya. They had been talking for hours. Asking questions from anything like school, to her old home life. Spilling secrets that brought out anger, pain and tears, but she kept pushing forward, telling the full truth due to the veratruth serum that Moody had given them.

Ron sighed, he couldn't hate her anymore. Listening to all the abuse and hate in her old home, the love and hurt from losing her brother, the fight that caused her ex-girlfriend to move out of the country and why she had moved here.

"Fine, I can't hate you. I'll give you that. I'll get to really know you, and maybe be your friend," Ron admitted, "but tell me one thing. Why Ginny?"

"Why not Ginny? She is smart; having a conversation with her is easy and enjoyable because she can keep a level head about anything we might not see eye to eye on. She is funny; she is appreciative of my humor and her humor is different and light, not morbid or sarcastic. She is kind and soft. She accepted me when no one else outside of Draco and Blaise would. I can't deny that she is beautiful to me. When I saw her, I had this feeling, I had to meet her. I had to get to know her and I'm glad I did."

Ginny blushed wildly, they had only been dating a day and she couldn't stop the flow of happiness. Things were going so great and Kalya really was an amazing girl. Ginny only worried how their relationship would work at school. Kalya would hold her hand around her family but would only kiss her when they were alone. Ginny didn't want to hide it, and definitely didn't want to wait till they were alone to do more then hold hands.

School had started and they were already two weeks in. Ginny was glaring at the food on her plate. Something had happened over the past two weeks that Ginny had only seen Kalya once. Not a single person besides the Golden Trio knew they were dating.

Stabbing her food with her fork before putting the offending food in her mouth, she chewed in anger. She was really annoyed and there was no one she could talk to about it. She hadn't told her roommates due to not knowing if Kalya felt comfortable or not with anyone knowing.

"Ginny, your food didn't do anything," Ron looked upset that she was attacking her harmless food.

"Look Ginny, it's Kalya," Blair pointed out excitedly.

"Man it's been forever since we have seen her," Jade smiled.

They all watched Kalya walk over to Ginny. Having entered the Hall towards the end of dinner and having not been spotted in forever, she had almost everyone's attention. Smiling softly she stopped next to Ginny.

Craning her head up to see her girlfriend's face, Ginny tried to smile. Kalya sat down quickly.

"It's been a long two weeks," Kalya sighed, "I'm sorry I haven't been able to see you that often.'

"Talk about only once," Ginny looked away angrily.

"I truly am sorry Gin. I just couldn't get away from what I was doing. I'll explain more later," Kalya offered.

When Ginny didn't look at her, she placed her hand on Ginny's cheek and turned her head to face her. Ginny could see that sadness in her eyes and she couldn't stop herself, she leaned in and kissed her girlfriend's lips.

"So you forgive me," Kalya asked after they parted.

"I forgive you, but I want to know everything," Ginny smiled.

Kalya quickly kissed her lips again before turning to her plate and putting all her favorite foods on it.

"Merlin's Beard, are you guys really dating," Lillian asked in complete shock.

"As of New Years," Kalya smiled happily.

"How come you never said anything Ginny," Roslyn narrowed her eyes.

"I didn't know if Kalya was okay with it," Ginny blushed.

"Is it because I wouldn't kiss you in front of your family?"

"I thought maybe you weren't comfortable."

"Not in front of all your family like that just yet. They were making me nervous, like if I did one wrong thing I would get in trouble or something," Kalya laughed.

"So, you don't mind?"

"Not at all."

Whispers and stage whispered followed the two girls all day as they walked hand in hand in the halls. When they kissed, the louder and more the whispers would come. It wasn't hard to ignore, it was just grating on their nerves that people couldn't find anything better to discuss then who they were dating.

Dinner time came and Kalya couldn't help but snap at a first year Slytherin who had the guts to tell her she was wrong in her choice of partner. Ginny and many others had been shocked at the words that came from her mouth. She had apologized seconds after she realized what she had said.

She was now sulking that her anger had gotten the better of her and she had hurt that poor kids feelings. Ginny didn't know what to say, still shocked that her girlfriend would even use such words about a person. But to their surprise the whispers had all but stopped now.

"To tell you the truth, they have mainly stopped because they are afraid of what Kalya might say about them," Martha tired to smile.

"I didn't mean to. I just got so angry, telling me that my girlfriend is muggle loving trash. I can't stand it when people talk bad about the people I love and I know a lot of dirty secrets on people they wouldn't even know I knew till I told them," Kalya sighed.

"Let's just forget this even happened."

They sat alone in the room of requirement. It was a lush room with red carpets; the only thing in the room was a fireplace and a black loveseat. Ginny sat to the far side facing her girlfriend who was staring at the fire. She wanted to know everything, but she had to let her say it at her own time or she would clam up and not say anything.

"Two weeks ago, right after Christmas, Dumbledore asked me to come to his office. IT would seem that Draco was having a hard time keeping away from the Death Eaters," Kalya looked away, her eyes filling with tears and she refused to make eye contact with Ginny, "Dumbledore decided that we had no other choice. Draco was to accept the Dark Mark and he was going to be a double spy, by slipping Voldemort as little information as possible while slipping Dumbledore as much as possible."

"Then why were you gone for two full weeks," Ginny asked cautiously.

"I refused to allow him to do it alone. Since I had already aided you guys and had your trust, Voldemort thought I would be a great asset to his team. He wanted Draco to kill Dumbledore to show his faith, but when I stepped up and offered him my arm, he no longer cared about Draco showing his faith, because he knew that with me there, Draco's faith was going to be stronger," Kalya finished softly.

Ginny began to cry. The tears sliding down her cheeks faster then she could stop them. Her girlfriend had gone through all that pain by herself and put herself at danger, not only to protect Draco, but also Dumbledore. What would her parents think when they found the mark on her arm?

Kalya buried her face in Ginny's neck, sobbing, "If you want to leave me Ginny, I will understand but I had to do this."

They sat there holding each other, their silent tears of pain rolling down their faces. This war was going to be a dangerous one. There was going to be trouble everywhere and people were going to stop trusting each other. Ginny hoped they would make it through everything.

Pulling back after the tears had stopped, Kalya tried to smile, "I also took some extra classes on harder more advanced spells and potions, another reason I've been missing. I'm rushing to make myself more useful to everyone. I need to know as much as I can before the final battle."

"I'll help you as much as I can," Ginny kissed her softly.

"I'm taking Occlumency lessons with Snape, so that all our memories together will stay mine."

"Good."

A few hours later the girls snuck from the room, slipping through the halls trying to avoid Flitch. Ginny made it to her common room and sat down near her friends. She told them that Kalya hadn't been around due to accepting more lessons then she had originally been given. They all accepted the reason and they promptly got ready to go to bed.