I hate cliffhangers so I got this chapter out as quick as possble. Hope you enjoy it. Special thanks to softballpitcher, GinevraZabini and Misti D for their reviews! You keep this story going with them.

Disclaimer: None of its mine... I only wish it was

She looked up to see none other than Draco Malfoy staring down at her, a look of deep frustration in his eyes.

"I do believe we need to talk." He said harshly.

Draco pulled her up roughly off the floor and dragged her to his room. Thanks their money, both Draco and Blaise had separate rooms from everyone else and simply shared a bathroom between the two of them. Therefore, there was no chance of anyone coming upon them by accident. Once inside he slammed the door and locked it throwing her on the bed in the process.

"OW!" she yelled at him sitting up.

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING?" he screamed at her. Astoria shrank back from him completely terrified.

"WERE YOU JUST FOLLOWING ME FOR FUN?" he screamed again coming towards her. Astoria scrambled away from him across the bed as he continued to yell. "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT HE WOULD'VE DONE TO YOU IF HE HAD SEEN YOU?"

"AHH!" Astoria screamed as she ran out of bed and abruptly landed on the floor with a loud thud. Draco stopped yelling and just stood there. Then he heard a faint sniff from the floor on the other side of his bed, and then Astoria cried out "I'M SORRY!" Slowly she stood up and glared at him across the bed. "I AM SORRY! I DIDN'T KNOW!" she took a deep breath wiping her face quickly. In a softer voice, she asked, "Why the hell were you talking to him anyways?"

Draco didn't answer; he merely looked at the floor. Astoria didn't move a muscle. Finally, he answered "I don't have a choice." He said flatly. Then he looked her straight in the eyes "He will kill everyone I care about if I don't. Look, I don't expect you to understand. I know I act like I could care less about anyone, but I do care about people. I just act like I don't to try to make myself believe that I don't. The less I care, the less I have to lose."

"*'What do we live for, if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?' Draco, let us help you. Don't use Ginny and Blaise, because you'll lose them forever if you do. But, if let them in, let them help you, you will be that much stronger." Astoria said coming around the bed to Draco's side and taking his hand in hers.

Draco neither let go of her hand nor gripped it. He simply stood there unmoving; staring at the bed in front of him. Then he stepped away from her saying, "Leave, now."

Astoria sighed, walked to the door, and unlocked it. Before she left she turned and said "Draco, if you follow the path in front of you, the thing that you are most afraid of will become a reality. You will end up exactly like your father." With that, she left, shutting the door behind her softly.

Once she had left, Draco sank to his knees tears falling freely from his eyes. In his heart, he knew she was right.

Blaise looked at his watch again for the tenth time in the past 5 minutes. It read 6:32. He was going to kill her for being late. He glanced around him again, but still didn't see her. He was about to go in by himself when he saw something on the stairs. It was Ginny.

She wasn't wearing the school uniform. Instead, she was wearing black velvet boots that went just below her knee, a jean skirt that was to her mid thigh and loose Slytherin silky green halter-top. Her hair was the short blonde curls from before and her side bangs framed her face perfectly. He stood there mouth open in complete shock.

Luckily, no one noticed Blaise in this embarrassing position since they were all staring at Ginny. She came down the stairs and straight over to Blaise, who had managed to compose himself enough to pull her into him and kiss her. She returned the kiss with equal fervor to sounds of whistles and clapping. They broke apart and then walked into to dinner arms around each other.

In the history of Hogwarts, no room had ever gotten that quiet that fast. Not half a second after Ginny and Blaise walked in was it silent as a graveyard. As they walked to the table, Blaise pulled out his pulled out his wand and quickly changed Ginny's hair back to her red curls. Everyone gasped loudly when they realized that the blonde French girl was in fact Ginny Weasley. Ginny and Blaise sat down at the Slytherin table and began eating.

The first person in the room to recover was Harry. He stood up, grabbed Ron, who was as red as a full ripe tomato, and dragged him over to the spots across from Ginny and Blaise at the Slytherin table.

"Um… Ginny?" Harry asked timidly.

"Oh hi harry." She answered cheerily "You know, my boyfriend, Blaise Zabini, right?"

Harry mumbled something to the extent of yes, then turned to Ron and whispered "They've done something to her. She must be under a love potion or spell. We need to speak to Professor Dumbledore."

"Harry," Ginny's voice came from right next to him and he jumped startled. "It's really rude to whisper in front of people like that."

"Ginny, I…" Harry started, but Ginny raised hand to stop him.

"Harry," she said shaking her head. "Shut up. You don't understand anything. I lo… like Blaise a lot. You're just going to have to live with it. You and Ron can't control me. I know you want to protect me, but you're just going to have to let me go."

"But Ginny," Ron began.

"No buts!" Ginny yelled. "I don't care what you think that you're doing to help me, just leave me alone!"

"Seriously, I'd leave my girlfriend alone if I were you. I hear her bat bogey hexes are particularly nasty." Blaise said standing up from the table.

Harry and Ron looked at each other. "Fine." Harry answered after a few moments and then they turned and left. Ginny came and sat back down next to Blaise. He put his arm around her waist and she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Thanks, Blaise." She whispered in his ear.

"No problem. It's the least I could do to repay you." He said shrugging slightly.

Astoria sat in the deserted common room tears in her eyes. All I wanted to do was help protect my friends. She thought in anguish. I guess I'll just have to find another way to help. She got up to go to breakfast when Draco came out of his room. Astoria looked at him in pity and then realized his eyes were slightly puffy and red.

His voice broke the silence. "You're right." Astoria didn't know what to say, but before she could formulate an answer, he left the room.

*Quote by George Elliot

Review please! I would really like to know what you think about this story. Look for an update thanksgiving week. I'm crazy busy till then. :)