Chapter 24

"Well Malfoy," Goyle said, he and Crabbe following Pansy, "word around the school is you caught the little Weasley girl out of bed last night."

Draco looked up. The three were standing in front of him. "I did." he said coolly.

Pansy laughed shrilly. "So tell us, Draco. What happened? What did you do?" Her eyes were glimmering as she waited anxiously for him to give them all details.

"Really Pansy, what do you think I did?" Draco grinned. "I used the Cruciatus."

They gasped. "Really?" asked Crabbe.

"Of course I did. Put her in her place, it did. On the ground at my feet, where she belongs. Where all of them belong." he said in his most superior voice. Draco's stomach churned as images what he described flashed through his head. Images of Ginevra on the ground, withering in pain. It made him sick. But he had no choice. It was the only way to keep her safe, telling these lies.

"Come on Draco," Pansy said, sliding her arm through his, "let's go to lunch."

Draco stood, freeing his arm and let them from the Slytherin common room. The four of them took seats next to Blaise, who had already filled his plate.

"Bout time you guys showed up." Blaise said, looking over at him. "Was starting to think you were going to miss lunch."

"Hush Blaise. Draco here," Pansy said with that annoying shrill voice of hers, "was just telling us how he tortured the little Weasley girl last night."

Blaise's eyebrow raised as he looked from Pansy to Draco.

Draco nodded curtly.

He looked around him. Sitting with them all again, it was like he was back in the past again. When he was the leader of Slytherin and nobody questioned him. When the name Malfoy brought fear and his word was law among them. It was a strange thing to feel again.

Draco looked up then, trying to steal a look at the Gryffindor table. What he saw, though, was a hundred eyes glaring back at him. He quickly looked away, back to his own housemates.

They begged him for details. When he saw that denying them would get him nowhere, he obliged, making up details as he told them about the little red-head who cried and begged for mercy. The one who was made up. Because the one he knew would never surrender like that. She would never give anyone that satisfaction.

"Gin, are you sure you're okay?" Neville asked, worried about her.

"I'm fine." Ginny said. "Really Neville, I am."

"But the other night-"

"Was nothing. Really it's been three days. Don't worry about it Neville, I'm fine." she assured him as they walked into the Room of Requirements. "I think I can handle a day of talking and practicing."

He sighed but let it go.

Finally, Ginny thought. She had enough on her mind without Neville complaining that she couldn't handle any more D.A. meetings. Draco hadn't tried to talk to her since that night. He hadn't replied to any of her messages either. And he was spending more and more time with his old friends again.

What if he doesn't want me anymore? Pansy hangs all over him now. He's probably with her now. Ginny thought. He's forgotten all about me.

She sighed and pulled out her wand. One of many stone dummies stood in the middle of the room and she took aim at it.

"Reducto!"

There was a loud bang and the statue burst apart, reduced to a fine powdery dust. The other students in the room stopped talking, turning to stare of her.

"Right," she said to the silent room. "Who's up to try it then?"

Nobody spoke. Nobody stepped forward.

"How about you Seamus?" Ginny said, her eyes landing on him. "You're good with making things explode."

Seamus stepped forward slowly and looked to her. He, like everyone else, had questioned her, wanting to know what happened.

"Right then." she said, raising her wand at another of the statues. "Like this." She waved her wand. "Reducto!" The statue burst into dust.

Seamus raised his wand at a statue and Ginny took a few steps back. The other students did the same. "Reducto!" he shouted, waving his wand. There was another loud bang as the statue exploded.

The crowd erupted in cheers.

"Brilliant!" Ginny said. "Alright, who's next?"

At the end of the lesson, Ginny and Neville watched the others leave.

"You and Longbottom are always the last to leave."

Draco's voice echoed in her head and she looked around.

That's right. He watches us leave. She thought. Maybe he still does. Maybe he still comes.

"Ready to go Gin?" Neville said, cutting into her thoughts.

"Oh, sure." she said. She followed Neville out of the room, her eyes wandering the halls, looking for anyone around. Ginny saw a flash of blonde around one of the corners. She wanted so badly to go inspect it but there was no way she could get away from Neville.

She sighed heavily and continued to follow Neville up to the common room.

Draco's heart beat wildly as he rested against the wall. She had seen him. He knew it. He beat his fist against the wall.

Damn it! He had let himself be seen. For the last couple days, any chance he got to break away from his housemates, he went to find her. He knew it was foolish and dangerous but he couldn't help it. Being so close and not seeing her was unbearable.

But to risk getting caught again, it was too much. He couldn't keep putting her in danger like that. It was selfish.

Draco hit the wall again. But damn it, why did she have to look?

Draco went back to his room and went to his bed, pulling the curtains around it. He pulled the book out and, just as he expected, it was pulsing. He opened it and stared down at her handwriting on the page.

I saw you.

Draco closed the book and slid it back under his pillow, unanswered.