Chapter 4

"Gin, you okay?" Harry asked.

Ginny swallowed her toast. "Fine, Harry. Just a little nervous."

"Don't worry Ginny. You'll be brilliant today." He assured her, smiling.

"Harry's right, Gin." Ron added. "You'll see."

"But I'm not meant to be a seeker! I'm a chaser." She groaned. "Oh why did you have to get detention Harry?"

Harry put his hand on her shoulder. "You'll do fine Gin. Besides, you'll be up against Malfoy. It's a easy win." Harry smirked.

Ginny's eyes slid past her brother to the Slytherin table. They came to rest on the platinum haired Slytherin. I sure hope so. She thought. Draco was laughing, surrounded by his friends. He must have sensed her staring because he looked up. Draco's laugh faded and he stared at her, his gray eyes scanning her face.

Draco's eyes moved from her to Harry and he scowled. His gaze slid back to her and his eyebrow raised.

A month had passed since Ginny ran out of the hospital wing. She didn't see Draco again until he was released the next day. She did her best to avoid seeing the blonde wizard, choosing to stick close to Harry instead. He's a Malfoy. She told herself. I'm supposed to be with Harry. I love Harry, loved him since we first met.

Ginny forced herself to look away from Malfoy. She turned to Harry and smiled. "You're right Harry. How hard can it be to beat Malfoy?" She said with a chuckle.

"Right!" Harry grinned.

"Let's do this then." Said Ron, getting to his feet."

Ginny mounted her broom. The whistle blew and she kicked off, flying high above her teammates. She saw Draco rising higher with her and chanced a look at him. His eyes were narrowed and he was staring at her.

He flew closer to her. "What are you doing? You're a chaser." He called to her.

"Not today."

"Where is Potter?" He asked, eyes narrowing again.

"He's gone and got himself another detention. I'm taking his place today."

Draco smirked. "Think you can beat me, eh Ginevra?"

She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Forgotten last year already, have we Malfoy? I was seeker then too."

"Oh, I remember just fine. And for the record, Weasley, you make a better chaser."

She laughed. "We'll see, Malfoy."

"Yes, we will, Weasley." Draco smirked. "Though, I was looking forward to beating Potter."

"Yes, I'm sure you were." Ginny said, rolling her eyes.

"So, Ginevra, tell me. What have you been doing this past month? I've seen so little of you, one would almost think you were avoiding me."

"I have."

Draco's smirk died and his eyes grew cold and dark. He had suspected as much, but to hear her so blatantly acknowledge it. "Why?"

She rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Malfoy? We've discussed this already. You are a Malfoy. I'm a Weasley. We are enemies." She said, scanning the skies for the snitch before turning her gaze to him once more. "Besides, you said it yourself. I'm a blood-traitor. Not a proper pureblood like you."

He hesitated a moment, thinking of a response. "But you could be a proper pureblood. I could show you how."

"What are you talking about Malfoy?" Ginny asked.

"I could show you." He repeated. "I could teach you to be proper. How to walk, talk and act like a respectable, pureblood witch. How about it, Ginevra?"

"I-" She didn't finish her response, however, as she glimpsed the snitch in the sky. Ginny's grip tightened on Harry's broom and she sped off, racing past Draco.

"We did it! We won!" The chants echoed through Gryffindor tower.

"Harry!" Ginny yelled to him when he entered the common room full of celebrating Gryffindors. "Harry, I did it! I caught the snitch and we won!" She shouted, running to hug him.

Harry caught her, his arms closing around her. Then, in front of the entire population of Gryffindor tower, he kissed her. The room quieted for a moment in shocked silence. Harry looked to Ron who gave him an if-you-must look. Then Harry kissed her again.

She smiled up at him. This is right. She thought. This is how it's supposed to be.

"So Gin." Harry prompted her. "Tell me about the game."

The two Gryffindors had settled on the couch and Ginny told Harry about the game. Or what she remembered of it, anyhow.

"You should have seen it Harry! How big his eyes got when he realized I was playing seeker instead of you. It was priceless." She laughed.

"I bet he was shocked when you caught the snitch before him too!" Harry howled, imagining the blonde boy sulking.

"He didn't even leave with the other Slytherins, mate." Ron added, coming over to plop into a nearby chair."Landed right at the entrance and stalked right off towards the castle, he did!" Her brother hooted, taking another swig of butterbeer. "You should have seen her, Harry. Our little Gin-bug! Blimey, she was fantastic out there. She sat up, all calm and what not. Stared him down, she did. Imagine she was insulting the insufferable prat, the way their mouths were moving!"

"I was not insulting him Ron." Ginny retorted, though it went unnoticed by her intoxicated brother. Ron stood, moving to join some Gryffindors across the room.

Unfortunately, her comment hadn't gone unnoticed entirely. "Why would Ron say that you were talking to Malfoy? I think he's maybe had a bit too much butterbeer." Harry laughed.

She laughed too. "He has had a bit much, hasn't he?" She paused before speaking again. "Actually Harry, Ron was only wrong about the insulting part. I was talking to Malfoy."

Harry pulled back and looked at her quizzically. "Why would you be talking to that slimy little ferret?"

The young witch shrugged. "I told you Harry. He was shocked to see me playing seeker instead of you. He asked why you weren't playing."

"Really?"

"Mmhmm."

"What did you tell him?"

Ginny turned to stare at Harry. Her Harry. "I told him the truth, of course. That you had detention and that I was filling in as seeker."

"Oh."

Ginny cradled the side of his face with her hand. "Look Harry, I know that you hate Malfoy but you have to understand that I'm not around to be treated the same way he treats you."

"Gin, are you saying you don't hate Malfoy?" He asked.

She shook her head. "No, Harry. I'm not saying that at all. I'm only asking that you remember that the hate hasn't been as present in my life as it has been in yours. You have to remember that Harry." She smiled and kissed him.

"Gin, he's been picking on you since your first year."

"It was only once that year, Harry. And it rarely has happened since."

"But Gin, he's a Malfoy!" Harry said, a hint of hurt in his voice.

"Yes and he didn't even know who I was at first." She countered. "But you are right about that Harry. He is a Malfoy and Weasleys don't mix with Malfoys."

Harry grinned and kissed her. "I knew you were only teasing me, Gin-bug."

The young witch laughed at the use of Ron's nickname for her. "You don't need to call me that, Harry." She laughed, playfully smacking him on his chest.

"But you are Gin-bug. My Gin-bug." Harry kissed her again and her stomach filled with butterflies. "Come on Gin. Come walk with me." Harry pulled her to her feet and they headed toward the portrait hole.

Harry led her down the stairs to the Entrance Hall. They walked around the grounds, oblivious to everyone else around them. Ginny smiled as she told Harry more about the match. They held hands as the walked to the lake, laughing and smiling. Everything is perfect now. Ginny thought to herself.

Ginny and Harry became the biggest topic of the school as news of their relationship spread. She was bombarded with question after question about Harry. Ron often threatened to take back his permission for them to date, causing them bother to laugh themselves to near hysterics.

Ginny smiled as she walked down the hall, humming a song by the Weird Sisters. Everything was going great. Harry is finally mine. The year is almost over and my grades are fantastic. Everything is exactly the way I dreamed it would be. Then she was stopped, her path blocked by a tall platinum haired Slytherin.

"Well, well, well. Potter's little girlfriend is all on her own." Draco mocked, causing Crabbe and Goyle to chortle from behind him.

Pansy Parkinson shrieked with laughter. "What's the matter, Weasley. Your precious Chosen One get bored with you already?"

"Now, now. I'm sure there's a reason why Potter isn't with his lovely little toy. Come now, tell us Weaslette, what is Saint Potter's reason for leaving you alone? Playing with the mudblood maybe?" Taunted Draco.

"Actually, Malfoy, Harry's off looking for your girlfriend's brain. Haven't had much luck though. Which is rather unfortunate, as I'm sure I'm not the only one who thinks Pansy could use an upgrade, or two." Ginny's snide remark earned her a scowl from Pansy.

"Think you're clever do you, you filthy little blood-traitor?" Sneered Pansy.

Ginny rolled her eyes. "As if I haven't heard that one before. Look, I'd love to stand here insulting your intelligence Parkinson, but I do have a class to get to." With that, Ginny brushed past the group of Slytherins and disappeared into her next class.

Ginny sat in the library, something she had begun doing quite a bit lately, yawning. Her red hair curtained her face as she studier her notes. She would be so happy when exams were over. No more studying, no more tests. Just three blissful months of summer with Harry.

As she sat at the table, scribbling notes onto her parchment, a small paper bird landed on her book. Ginny picked up the bird and looked around for the person who sent it. The library was nearly empty. Slowly, she unfolded the paper bird.

Fold it up and follow.

Ginny stuffed her books and parchment in her bag and quickly folded the paper back into a bird. It took flight immediately and the young witch scrambled to follow it. The little bird led her down halls and up staircases. Finally, it stopped in front of a door.

Ginny hesitated for a moment. What if it was a trap? Only one way to find out. She snatched the bird out of the air and put it in her robe. Her hand closed around the handle and she turned it slowly. Taking a deep breathe, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"Hello? Who's there?" She called out quietly. She gasped, taking a step back towards the door as Draco Malfoy emerged from the shadows. She turned to open the door, ready to run.

"Ginevra, wait."

She froze at the use of her name. Ginny turned to face him. "What do you want Malfoy?"

"I thought we were past last names, Ginevra."

"Oh, did you? It sure didn't seem like we were past last names and insults the last time we were face to face." She threw at him.

Draco scoffed at that. "Come on, Ginevra. You know that I have an image to maintain. And you can hardly blame me. I mean, Potter? Really?"

"Yes, Malfoy. And his name is Harry. I chose to be with Harry. Everyone in the school knows that it's all I ever wanted. You said it yourself five years ago when you called me his little girlfriend." Ginny told him.

Draco slid to the floor, his head falling to his hands. "Potter's lucky." He muttered.

"What did you say?" Ginny asked, unsure of what she had heard.

Draco looked up. "I said, Potter is lucky. He's bloody lucky to have someone like you. Someone who'll listen to him. Someone who cares. He's so bloody lucky and he doesn't even know it!"

And just like that, Ginny knew she wasn't going anywhere. She slid to the floor beside the enemy of her house, her family and friends and her boyfriend and began to sing. She sang the song he knew. The song from the yellow bird. She lowered her head to Draco's shoulder and simply sang, soft and quiet.

Draco's hand stroked her hair softly. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back. Her voice is lovely. So calming and gentle. Draco's thoughts buzzed through his mind. If only it were this simple to be happy. Why did she have to be a Weasley?

Ginny stopped singing and looked up at the blonde Slytherin beside her. "Draco. What's wrong? What's bothering you?" Draco looked at her but said nothing. "You can talk to me Draco. It will stay between us, whatever it is. I give you my word."

"Why are you being kind to me Ginevra?"

She sighed. "I don't know. I guess it's because I don't think you're as bad as you seem to be. I think you just need someone to be there for you."

Draco stared at her. "I..." He stopped. "Thank you."

Ginny smiled. "You're welcome, Draco." After a moment of silence, she got to her feet. "I should go."

"You're right." He said, standing. "Thank you. You should go first. So we aren't seen together."

Ginny turned toward that door. Draco's hand caught her wrist and pulled her to face him. He crushed his mouth to hers. It was a rough kiss, filled with his anger, his confusion, his pain. Draco released her and watched as she turned and fled from the room.

Way to go Malfoy! A woman shows you a little sympathy and you snog her. Draco smacked his head against the wall. What is going on with me? He thought. Bloody hell. Next time I'll be snogging that filthy mudblood, Granger!