I am so, so sorry for the slow update! This scene was a killer to write, and it came to me five minutes ago, so I'm updating fast. The next ones (hopefully) will be better.

I woke up groggily the next morning, bright sunlight streaming through the large window opposite my bed.

I squinted, yawning and groaning in the typical Weasley fashion. Getting up unsteadily, I rummaged through my trunk, looking for a clean set of robes.

After fastening the Gryffindor-red ruby brooch that secured my black cloak and combing my wild hair, I went downstairs, hoping that I wouldn't see the Golden Trio.

No such luck. Harry and Hermione sat on the couch, arguing over last nights' homework, and Ron sat on a leather armchair, a sour expression on his face.

They would see me. Taking a deep breath, I walked into the Common Room, hovering anxiously near the walls, trying to blend into them.

I had been hoping to avoid a scene, but that had been impossible as of late. Ron's head snapped up, and he glared at me.

To him, I had committed the worst kind of treason. As he'd so eloquently put it to Hermione during the Triwizard Tournament in fourth year, she'd been 'fraternizing with the enemy'. Only, this time it was a Malfoy whom I was 'fraternizing' with, and not a Quidditch superstar that he'd secretly admired. (Even though Draco was a really good Quidditch player, I admit it.) Draco had evidently been the source of all of Ron's (and mine, on the rare occasion that I didn't scurry away from Draco in a hurry) embarrassment.

I wished that he could understand that they weren't fourteen anymore. He was part of the Golden Trio, a savior of the Wizarding World.

In the end, Draco had gotten his comeuppance, and then some. Growing up in a loving family, Ron couldn't possibly begin to understand Draco's pains.

He needed to get that I didn't condone what Draco'd done, didn't necessarily agree with everything he said.

Now that their roles were reversed, Ron holding all the power, and Draco none, he didn't think of anything but revenge. However, what he didn't understand was that he'd already gotten his revenge, ten times over.

Before Ron could stand up, I was zipping out the door, despite him yelling for me to come back.

I was running so fast that I didn't notice the pair of strong, recognizable arms I knew grab me from behind, halting my footsteps.

"Boggart on your tail?" asked Draco, holding me to his chest. I felt the deep rumble of his laugh through his shirt as he nuzzled his nose into my neck.

"How about an angry Weasley?" I asked sourly

He looks up at me, grinning cheekily. "I can take him, Gin."

I humph as he pecked my cheek, fighting a smile.

He laughed again, letting me go. "I've got to go find Blaise, Gin. I'll see you in the Great Hall."

"Okay," I say.

He turns and walks toward the other direction, halting suddenly. "Oh, I passed Luna earlier. You distracted me. She's waiting for you in the Great Hall."

"Alright," I say, "see you."

I see Luna immediately as I walk into the Hall. Hair as pale as her's and Draco's are oddities anywhere. She stares into space until I walk up and gently nudge her shoulder.

She blinks. "Hey, Ginny."

"Hi," I reply. "Draco told me that you'd be here."

She nods. "Did something happen?"

"Why do you ask?" I have no idea why I feel so defensive.

She grins, "Just spit it out already."

So, I tell her the whole sordid story over my Belgian waffles.

"But I did owl my family," I conclude, drizzling more maple syrup over the mountain of whipped cream on my plate. "So either they'll be okay with it, or I'll get a bunch of angry Howlers."

"Would you care either way?"

"Of course not, why?" I look at her, puzzled, as I plunk three maraschino cherries on top of the syrup. One, two, three, all in a neat row.

"Because there's a red envelope coming by the way of Errol, towards the Gryffindor table."

I looked up, dread ripping into my insides. I catch Draco's eye, as he sits at the Slytherin table, and he smiles at me, shrugging in a 'can't-help-it-now' kind of way.

Ron glares over at me triumphantly, Harry and Hermione's eyes following his.

The letter comes straight at me, and I close my eyes in nervous anticipation.

I open them to a sharp jab in my side, courtesy of Luna. I turn to her, irritated, "Wh-?"

"Look!" she hisses, stifling a giggle.

The Howler has landed in front of Ron, not me, and sits in the middle of his oatmeal, smoking and wet.

To my delight, he looks terrified, and the whole Hall quiets in eagerness.

Draco catches my eye and gives me his trademark Malfoy smirk, looking like the cat that got the cream.

All of a sudden, the letter explodes; sending shredded red paper into disarray, and my mum's furious, magnified voice fills the Hall.

"RONALD. BILIUS WEASLEY, HOW DARE YOU ATTACK GINNY'S BOYFRIEND?" These three words are spoken quietly, fury emanating from each one. "I AM ASHAMED OF YOUR BEHAVIOR! MOREOVER, USING YOUR FISTS? YOU ARE A WIZARD, NOT A COMMON STREET RAT!"

Her voice begins rising. "TELLING ME AND EVERYONE ELSE BLATANT LIES ABOUT YOUR SISTER AND MR. MALFOY!"

She pauses, and Ron quivers in fear.

"SHE ALSO SENT ME A LETTER, AND I AM MUCH MORE INCLINED TO BELIEVE HER THAN I AM TO BELIEVE SUCH A MEAN-SPIRITED, SPITEFUL PERSON SUCH AS YOU!"

"SHE HAS EVERY RIGHT TO BE MAD AT YOU. WHAT KIND OF OLDER BROTHER ARE YOU? BEING A CANTANKEROUS GIT TO HER AND HER BOYFRIEND!"

Everyone's heads swivel to stare at me. Boyfriend? As far as anyone else knew, I was single.

"DRACO MALFOY SHOULDN'T HAVE LET YOU GO! HE SHOULD HAVE PUMMELED YOU INTO OBLIVION!"

"I'M GLAD THAT YOUR WAND SNAPPED, AS YOU DIDN'T EVEN SEE FIT TO USE IT!"

I heard a collection of audible gasps and whispers. Draco smirked, blowing me a mock kiss.

Glad he found this amusing.

"I'M VERY HAPPY FOR YOUR SISTER. SHE, ALONG WITH DRACO, WILL BE COMING HOME FOR THE CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS. YOU, ON THE OTHER HAND…"

Ron gulps, and turns a brilliant shade of puce, and I grin at Luna triumphantly. She shakes her head at me, whispering, "And you were worried, why?"

"MIGHT NOT BE."

And with that, her tirade on Ron ends.

I pick up my own mail, beckon to Luna, and we leave the Hall. On the way out, Draco catches up with us, his arm tightening around my waist as he grins at me. I stick my tongue out at Ron, childishly, and he darkens. Hermione, though, looks thoughtful and gives me a small, encouraging smile.

Score: Ron, 0. Ginny, 1.

We walk towards the Room of Requirement.

"I rest my case, Gin; your mum is bloody brilliant." Luna smiles at me.

"I know," I say, flipping my hair over my shoulder mock-dramatically.

"That being said," She frowns, winking at me, "The Ravenclaw in me needs to go study for my Arithmancy test."

She leaves us, and Draco kisses my shoulder, murmuring into my ear. "Finally. You have no idea how it was killing me, not being able to call you my girlfriend."

"Is that what I am?" I ask coyly, regarding him with lowered lashes.

He growls, a low rumbling in his chest as he pulls me into an empty corridor to kiss me.

And I was perfectly fine with that.

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