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Envy and Manipulations	By : rrabbit Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Draco/Ginny Views: 8376 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any characters from it.... therefore I do not receive any payment for this writing.

Chapter List
- 8
- 9
- 10
"What was it like?"

"What was what like?" I ask as I move some hair out of my face. It is too damn hot in this greenhouse. Sprout needs a cold air charm in here or something because I'm starting to sweat.

I hate sweating.

"Making love," Luna says softly and I glance around quickly to see if anyone heard her say that.

We're in herbology, digging through some dirt to find a certain kind of root that Sprout said we needed for our lesson. I grabbed Luna right away and made her sit with me so we could talk about things. I haven't seen her since the summer holiday but all she wants to talk about is Theo, and sex, and having sex with Theo. It's all very tiresome and I'm not in a good mood anyways. I missed lunch because I had seen Draco speaking with Cho right before I went into the Great Hall and it made me lose my appetite. I have no idea what they were talking about, but my stomach feels like it's going to start eating itself soon if I don't get some food in there.

"It was... different," I admit in a whisper once I'm sure the other Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs aren't listening.

"Did it feel good?" she asks, not even bothering to keep her voice down and I blush as I pick up a large chunk of dirt with my gloved hands. I plop it down on the table and my stomach growls loudly. I cover it with a cough and continue with the dirt removal. I don't answer right away, so she asks louder. "Ginny, did it feel good?"

"Yes," I say quickly so she won't ask again. I look at her quickly and she blinks her large eyes at me. She told me she wanted to start 'making love' with Theo, so I guess she's trying to figure out what to expect, just like I had quizzed Daphne and Pansy before I slept with Draco. "I mean... it was kind of uncomfortable at first," I say honestly as I remember the initial pain of having Draco in me for the first time. "But, you know, Draco was very sweet to me and it ended up feeling really nice."

She sighs wistfully and I furrow my brows. "Is it romantic to make love?"

The way she says 'make love' makes me want to vomit, to be completely honest. "I don't know," I say as I focus on my pot of dirt. I don't want to talk about my sex life anymore. It makes me feel uncomfortable and anyone could hear her because she doesn't bother to whisper. She doesn't exactly have the best social skills.

"How do you not know?" she asks. I find the root Sprout wanted and I pull it out, thankful for the distraction.

"I found it," I say as I hold it up to get a better look. "It looks kind of like a prune, doesn't it?"

"Ginny," Luna says. She found her root too and she's following me to my desk. "How can you not know? Is making love romantic or not?"

"I guess it is," I say just so she'll stop talking about it. "I guess it depends on the couple," I say as I take my seat and put my root on the desk in front of me. I wouldn't exactly call it romantic, I just liked being close to him. "Let's talk about something else," I say as she sits at the desk beside me.

"I think I'm going to make love to Theo soon."

I sigh and put my head in my hands. "You said that before," I remind her as I glare at my desk. I don't want to talk about her creepy boyfriend anymore.

"When you did it," she says and I shake my head in annoyance. "Did you let him finish in you, or did you make him go in a cup?"

I look at her. Did she really just say that? "What?" I say flatly and she furrows her brows.

"When Theo and I fool around, he always finds like a cup or something to finish in."

I make a disgusted face. I do not want to hear about her creepy boyfriend jizzing into cups.

"Did you let Draco actually finish in you?"

"I don't want to talk about this anymore," I say uncomfortably because she is getting way too personal.

"If you let him finish," she starts as the other kids start to sit at the desks as well. "How do you know you're not pregnant."

"There are potions you can take," I hiss at her and I look behind me again to make sure other people aren't listening to this ridiculous conversation. I don't need the whole school thinking I could possibly be pregnant. "Now, this isn't appropriate to speak of anymore," I tell her gently.

She nods her head like she understands, but she keeps talking anyways. "Has Draco ever asked you to drink a polyjuice potion..."

"Luna," I snap, leveling her with a glare. I put my hand up when she opens her mouth to respond. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Fine," she says as she sits back and crosses her arms in a pout. "I was just trying to talk to you."

I roll my eyes and look at Sprout as she walks to the front of the room to give her lecture about the root we had to dig up. Double Herbology is going to be my least favorite subject I think and it's on a Wednesday... Wednesdays are my longest days in class. I take notes diligently and ignore Luna's glare until the bell rings. I pack up my notebook and quill and put my root in one of the class room containers to preserve it until next time as Luna stays impossibly close to me. When we finally leave the green house, she's so close, our arms are touching and she's making me veer to the right.

"Luna, what are you doing?" I say with a sigh because she's walking right into me, but not saying a word.

"Just walking. Am I allowed to do that?" she asks sharply and I glare at her as I hike my bag up a little further. "Since you don't want me to talk to you."

"It's not that I don't want to talk to you," I tell her tightly. "I just don't want to talk about how your boyfriend puts his semen into cups."

"Friends talk about everything, Ginny," she says like I was being foolish. "Everything."

"Not when everyone else can hear," I say seriously. "I will be more than happy to-" I don't finish that sentence, because before I can get it all out, she gasps and starts running towards Theodore Nott, who's standing by the stairs of the castle.

I watch her hair shimmer in the sun as she runs towards him and I make an angry face at her retreating back.

Friends talk about everything. What a joke.

Hmf.

I walk by myself all the way to the castle and I glare down at my feet as I stomp up the stairs and follow the hallways towards the Great Hall. I'm grateful it's dinner time because my stomach is starting to hurt. I try to shake off how annoying Luna is being. She never was like it before and I completely and utterly blame freaking Theodore Nott and his stupid weedy looking face. I scowl at the thought of him. I need to find Luna someone else... someone who's nice and sweet and not a perverted creep. When I see Draco standing at the top to the stairs, my bad mood vanishes, and I find a smile turning my face as he puts his hands in his pressed slacks.

"Hey," I say gently as I get closer to him. I resist running because I don't want to be like Luna.

"How was Herbology?" he asks as he takes my bag off of my shoulders. I love that I never have to carry anything around him. He makes me feel like a lady.

I shrug. "It was alright," I say, trying to keep my irritated thoughts about Luna at bay. "It's not my favorite class," I admit and he smiles as he kisses my head.

"It's important though," he says as he takes my hand.

He says that about every class. He's such a nerd about school work.

"I'm starving," I say as I put my hand on my empty stomach. "Dinner couldn't come soon enough." He nods his head, but pulls me to the right as soon as we reach the Great Hall doors. "What are you doing?" I ask as I look back at the doors longingly. "I just said how hungry I was."

"You can eat in a minute. I want to talk to you," he says, stopping when we're away from the dinner crowd and facing me full on.

"Okay..." I say nervously. I find that 'talks' never turn our very well in relationships. "What is this about?"

"Why didn't you want to sit with Ivy Parkinson in potions on Monday?" he asks and when I realize what he's talking about, I almost laugh. "And I was also told that you didn't sit with them this morning when you had defense class."

"Are you serious?" I say as I relax my body. I thought it was something serious.

"Yes, I'm serious. I wanted you to sit with them."

"Why do I have to sit by them? I don't even like them."

"Because I said so," he says bitterly, like that made sense. I narrow my eyes, glaring right at his silver head boy badge. "Relationships are about compromises, Gin. I'm telling you I would prefer that you sit with Ivy and the rest of the people from my house when you're in classes with them. I expect you to do as I say because you love me."

That sentence made me uneasy and I bite my lower lip as I try to think it through. I do love Draco... I love him so much but sometimes when he speaks I get a very manipulative vibe from him. Like right now for instance. I doubt he even realizes it, but sometimes he falls into one of the worst categories a boyfriend can fall into: Controlling.

"But that doesn't make any sense," I say as I lean against the wall, trying to make him see sense. He props his hand up by my head as he towers over me. "I'm not friends with any of them."

"Who are you friends with?" he counters and I purse my lips.

"Does it matter?"I say and I watch a group of students walk by us, headed towards the Great Hall, and I'm envious of every single one of them. I bet they're serving chicken tonight... I love grilled chicken. "I just don't want to have to sit with people I don't like just because my boyfriend says so," I say dryly as I look up at him. "It's not like it's a big deal or anything."

He clenches his fist against his wall. "Ginny," he says with a tight jaw. "I gave a very specific order," he says and I furrow my brows as I remember that very concerning look Ivy had given me in potions. "I expect everyone to listen to me, including you."

I shake my head. "I just don't understand why," I admit and he sighs as he relaxes his body.

"You don't need to understand. You said it was no big deal, so for my sanity, will you please just do as I say and sit with them next time?"

"What about when I have class with the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs? Do you want me to find a random Slytherin in the hall and drag them to class with me so I won't be alone?"

"Don't get smart," he snaps and I roll my eyes.

A silence falls over us and I look away, glaring at the opposite wall with his breath is warm on my face. I still don't get why he wants me to sit with his freaking Slytherin people. There's no point.

"Why do they always do what you say?" I question as I flick a glance up to him. It has been something that had been bothering me for a while, actually. "All your friends just do what you say like their life depended on it."

"Maybe it does," he says softly and I furrow my brows before the corner of his mouth tilts up. "Joking, of course," he adds because I think I'm giving him a very troubled look. He sighs again. "People do as I say because I have authority and they respect that," he says and that doesn't make any sense either so I cross my arms. "You should do as I say because you're my girlfriend and you should want to please me."

"What about what pleases me?" I say stiffly and he raises one sharp eyebrow.

"That is always on the forefront of my mind, I assure you," he says with a sinful smile and I blush at what he's implying. "In fact," he says, taking a step closer so his body is almost touching mine. "I think I know something that will immensely please you, my love."

I duck under his arm and step away from the wall so I'm no longer trapped against it. "Don't manipulate me with your sexy talk," I say with a pout. "This is a serious discussion we're having." I cross my arms again. "Why do your friends always seem like it's the end of the word if they disobey you? Ivy looked at me like she thought you would do something terrible because I didn't sit with them and all your other friends are all 'Draco said this... please don't tell Draco that... Draco won't like this..." I sigh tiredly. "What is that all about?"

"Who says 'please don't tell Draco that'?" he asks with narrowed eyes and I open my mouth before snapping it shut.

He's avoiding my question.

"It doesn't matter, that's not what I asked."

"Ginny," he says flatly, taking a menacing step towards me. He has that look in his eyes now, and I bite my lower lip. "Who said that and why did they say it?"

"Daphne practically begged me not to tell you when she was late one time meeting me at Folk Hills..." I trail off and clench my jaw as I think about it. "And about that... why did you have them babysit me all the time?" I put my hands on my hips. "This is all so confusing and Blaise said you were playing chess against someone and I was the queen and I have no bloody idea what's going on and I don't like it."

I stomp my foot at the end of my little rant and he smiles at me like I was a child doing something adorable.

"Don't laugh at me," I say with a frown. "I'm being serious."

"You don't have to be troubled about anything," he says with a ghost of a smile still on his lips as he takes a strand of my hair and twirls it around his finger. "All you have to worry about is making me happy."

I scoff and smack his hand away.

"Honestly, Draco, that isn't an answer and you know it."

"Listen," he says with a sigh as he puts his hand in his front pocket. "When I'm around everyone else

I am constantly on guard. I have to block my mind and watch what I say... I can't relax. I haven't relaxed since I was a child, but when I'm around you, I finally can."

He brings his hand up and touches my cheek.

"You have no agenda. You have no ambitious plan to use me for whatever reason," he shakes his head and lets his hand drop to neck. "You have no idea how it feels to just let go for a while," he says gently. He takes a step closer and puts his forehead against mine. "I don't want to lose that with you. I want to keep it simple."

I exhale slowly. Again, he didn't answer my freaking question.

"But why do you want me to be around your friends all the time?" I ask softly. His soft words and his feather light touches are winning me over, but I need to know the answer. I can't just keep letting him change the subject on me... right?

"Tell me who you would rather be with and I'll change my mind on the matter," he says seriously. I don't say anything right away because I don't have much of an answer. "No answer?" he says with a brow raised. "Colin Creevey, perhaps?" he says flatly and I roll my eyes.

"I don't even like him," I admit with a head shake. "He's annoying."

"Then why did you sit with him?"

I open my mouth and then snap it shut. I'm not the one who should be questioned here. "That's not the topic. I just want to know why it's such a big deal to you that I sit with your house."

"I want them to be your friends too," he says gently. "We come from different worlds, Ginny, and I want you to fit in."

I bring my hand up to his and hold it against my neck as I try to figure out if I can accept that answer. He studies my face for a few moments before tilting his head and kissing me softly.

"That is fair, isn't it?" he whispers against my lips. "That makes sense?" I nod my head and let him kiss me some more.

I figure that's as much of an answer that I'm going to get from him today and I resign myself to that fact as he continues to press his body against mine.

"Draco," I whisper as he pushes me firmly against the wall. "I saw you talking to Cho Chang today," I say seriously as I remember seeing them together before I met him for lunch. "What did she want?"

"What she always wants," he says adding a kiss to my jaw.

He doesn't say anything to that and I frown, pushing him back. "And what's that?" I ask sharply. "Please don't ignore this question. I've had enough of you avoiding the topic today."

"She's annoyed that I ended things with her so abruptly," he says nonchalantly as he goes in to kiss me again. "She has emotional issues after what happened to one of her last boyfriends and she wants to give it another go," he says with a scoff. "You have nothing to worry about," he adds. "She is no threat to you or your standing with me. I've firmly established my intentions with you and I find her fucking annoying."

"Oh," is all I say as I think of Chang.

Cedric Diggory had died when the Dark Lord came back. How did I forget that? Suddenly hating Cho was a bit harder, but I couldn't take her constantly bugging my boyfriend about getting back together. Especially when I think she's prettier than me and she fits in better with his friends.

"Draco," I say again to get his attention as he moves to my neck with his hand caging me against the wall. "I'll do as you say," I tell him and he pulls back to look at my face. "I'll sit with your stupid house mates if you promise to not talk to Cho again."

I see a dark smirk curl at the corner of his mouth and his silver eyes start shining.

"You were the one who wanted me to speak with her at Zabini's house over the summer."

"I know," I answer with a head nod as I put my hand on his chest to play with his tie. "But I don't want you speaking with her anymore. I do what you say and you do what I say, right? Relationships are about compromises?"

"Right," he says with a pleased smile. "What a little negotiator you are."

"It's a deal then?" I ask softly and he nods my head, putting his fingers on my chin to tilt my head up.

"It's a deal," he says in a deep voice before leaning down to kiss me.

"You're in a hallway!"

I push Draco back with alarm and widen my eyes at my brother. He's standing right behind us, looking murderous with his ears tinted pink, clashing horribly with his hair.

"You're snogging Draco blooding Malfoy in a freaking hallway where anyone can see you! Have you no shame!" he screeches, looking at me like he had never seen me before. Harry is beside him, looking decidedly uncomfortable, but when his eyes slide to Draco, he glares.

"It's none of your business," I retort, a little shaken because I wasn't expecting this confrontation right now.

I've been successfully avoiding my brother and his friends for the past week and I suspect Hermione has kept my brother under wraps from doing anything rash because this is the first time he's addressed me like this after his scolding in the Great Hall the first night. My mother has also sent me a few howlers, but Draco had set them on fire before they even opened, which I was immensely grateful for. Everyone from my life before my current boyfriend seems to be disgusted with me, but Ron especially hates me now. I know Ron and Draco have gotten into a few fights when they were in classes together, but nothing too serious...

This morning was pretty terrible, though. I guess Ron had cursed Draco during their care of magical creatures class and I almost killed him when I heard.

"It's all my business," he says as he takes out his wand. Draco pushes me behind him and brandishes his own from his pocket. "You're acting like a... like a..." he searches around for a terrible word to call me before settling on one of the worst. "Like a slag."

"Ron," Harry scolds sharply, but Draco raises his wand.

"Don't speak to her like that," Draco says in a deadly voice and Ron sneers.

"She's my sister, Malfoy. I don't know what you're playing at, but I know you're taking advantage of her. I know what you are, Malfoy."

"Ron," I narrow my eyes and take out my own wand. "I'm not an idiot."

"You're with him, so I wouldn't doubt it."

"That's enough," Draco says with a menacing growl in his voice. "I have been more than patient with you, Weasley," he hisses the name and I furrow my brows. The hatred that dripped from his voice when he said it makes me uncomfortable because it's my last name too. "One more word and I'll blast you across the room."

"I'd like to see you try," Ron says and then he shoots a curse.

I push Draco aside and deflect the curse with my wand. It hits a nearby statue and makes it shake. The fury I feel right now is dangerous. "Ronald Weasley, how dare you," I say in deadly whisper as I lift my wand right at his chest. I can't believe he would curse us! "How dare you try to curse us!"

"His father is a Death Eater, Ginny," he says narrowly, his eyes sliding to Draco. "We saw him and we saw you," he says glaring at my boyfriend. "We know what you are."

I want to ask him more on that, but my anger won't let me. "Shut up, Ron," I hiss when he lifts his wand again. Draco scoffs at the wand pointed at his chest like it was insulting him. I look at Harry. "Please make him go away," I say in a pleading voice as I lower my own wand. I don't want to fight. "Harry?" I say softly to get his attention.

Harry looks at me with his eyes puzzled but when he looks at my boyfriend, they harden.

"Having a girl fight your battles now?" Harry asks coldly, looking at Draco with narrowed emerald eyes.

"At least I have a girl who likes me enough to want to protect me," Draco says flatly, his eyes leveled at Harry. "The last girl who loved you was probably your mother and she's dead."

I flick a disappointed glance at Draco. "Why would you say that?" I whisper because it's a low blow, but Harry raises his wand and shoots a curse right at Draco's chest.

Harry's getting emotional and he cheeks turn red as Draco easily deflects his curse and then lifts his wand to shoot a rather terrible curse right back. I step in between them to stop the duel, and I turn towards Draco with my hand on his until he lowers his wand. He clenches his jaw and tries to resist snapping at me as I shake my head.

"Please no," I say softly to appeal to his more sensitive side... if he has one. I know Draco could do some damage because he would do things Harry could never even think of. "Let's not do this."

He looks at me for a few angry moments before glancing over my shoulder. "I'm walking away before I change my mind and kill you," he says to them before turning on his heels. He looks at me over his shoulder when he realizes I'm not following. "Ginny," he snaps harshly and I put my wand in my bag with an uncomfortable unease in my stomach as he puts out his hand. "Come with me."

I look at my brother, he's practically seething, and when I remember hearing about the curse he hit Draco with this morning, I make up my mind. I sigh before taking Draco's hand.

"Ginny, bloody hell," Ron sneers in disgust as Draco pulls me down the hallway. He takes a few steps towards us as Draco looks steadily ahead of him with a tick in his jaw. "You're going with him after what he just said to Harry? Where is your loyalty?"

I look over my shoulder and give my brother an evil glare. I stop walking. "Loyalty?" I snap hatefully as I think of all the conversations I was butted out of, all the secrets that were kept from me, all the times I was left in the dust because of him and his stupid friends. "Don't talk to me about loyalty, Ron."

He curls back his lip in anger, but before he can retort, Draco pulls me away with a firm jerk. I shake out of it and realize that Draco's pulling me towards the Great Hall with swift and steady steps. Before we get to the doors, Draco stops us and pushes me into an alcove with his lips crashing against mine almost painfully.

I barely even get out a muffled 'what' before he forces my legs apart with his knee and he pins me against the wall.

"What are you doing?" I whisper once he pulls back to give me time to breathe.

He looks at me with dark eyes before bringing a hand up to my breast. Anyone could see us right now and I try to pull him away, but he's stronger than me.

"Draco..." I whisper to get his attention. He kisses me again, successfully silencing me.

"My Ginny," he whispers against my ear. It sends a pleasurable chill down my spine and my body starts to tingle. He runs his lips over my neck and cheek, finally settling on my lips. "My sweet little Ginny."

Jesus Christ.

I suppress a moan and furrow my brows as I start moving against his leg. I'm getting really turned on and when I go to un-tuck his shirt, he pulls back.

"Why did you stop?" I ask like a pathetic thing and he smirks before kissing my forehead.

"You were late meeting me last night," he says and I make a face. I was barely five minutes late meeting him by the library yesterday but he acted like it was the end of the word. "If I leave you wanting, you won't keep me waiting," he says with a smug smile and I cross my legs because I'm now uncomfortably wet.

"You're kind of a jerk sometimes," I tell him shortly and he snorts.

"I love you, Ginny," he says, kissing me briefly before pulling back. "I'll meet you in the library at eight on the dot, right?" he says, eyeing me like he was expecting me to agree and never be late again.

I right my uniform and glare at him. "You're not coming to dinner?" I ask and I have to stop myself from hitting him or saying something hateful. It is very rude to get someone that worked up only to pull away at the last second. I doubt he would like it if I did it to him.

"No," he says shortly. "I have something to take care of."

We walk out of the hidden alcove, and before he walks the opposite way, I grab his hand.

"Wait," I say worriedly. "You're not going to do anything to my brother or Harry are you?" I ask uncomfortably. I saw how mad Draco was during that fight and I figure he's itching to use his wand against them with out me there to stop him.

He scoffs.

"I have more important things to worry about than Potter and his boyfriend, thank you. Go eat. I'll see you later."

"Bye," I say weakly as he walks off.

Pansy catches me before I can sit anywhere else, and with a heavy sigh I take a seat at the Slytherin table surrounded by Draco's stupid friends. Daphne's chattering on about some stupid magazine article she read and Millicent is sitting across from me, pretending like I don't exist. I sigh as I put my chin in my hand and eat my food.

I was right. It is grilled chicken night.

No one worth while is in the hall right now and my eyes scan the tables until I land on Neville who is reading some kind of large text that has green pages. He looks up and smiles at me. I smile back and then my eyes find Luna's head of blond hair sitting at the end of the Slytherin table with Theodore Nott. I scowl at them and look back at Neville.

An idea hits me.

Neville and Luna would make a lovely couple.

Hm...

"Draco isn't coming to dinner tonight?" Pansy asks as I think of multiple ways to get Luna away from Theo the weird-o and with sweet, harmless Neville. I bet Neville would never jizz into a cup.

"No," I shake my head and finally look at her. She has her hair done up in a short pony tail with a sparkling headband that is clearly for show because it's not holding back any hair. "He said he had something to do." I shrug my shoulders and use my fork to pick up part of my roasted potato. I take a bite as I study Neville with a curious tilt of my head.

I wonder if he would date Luna...

"Did he tell you what he was doing?," she asks with an irritable sigh as she reads this mornings daily prophet over her chicken and broccoli.

"Nope," I tell her. Focusing on Luna and Neville's future relationship helps me ignore what happened in the hallway with Ron and Harry.

She shakes her head like she was annoyed with me and then she turns the page of the prophet with her eyes narrowed. "You know, you could have told me."

"Told you what?" I question. I push around my chicken and I try to ignore the way my mind is wondering towards my brother.

He's one step away from disowning me, I think. I know I need to talk to him just one on one. He has a lot to say to me and judging by the daily howlers I'm getting from my mother, I suspect she does as well. I wonder if I can get Ron calm enough to have a serious, rational conversation about Draco...

I think his face as been in a permanent sneer since school started, if I was being completely honest.

"That you and Draco are having sex."

I nearly choke on my pumpkin juice. "What?"

"Daphne told me," she says with narrowed eyes. I pick up my napkin and clean up the spill caused by my surprise. "Tara told her and her little sister told Tara that you were talking to Luna Lovegood about it in Herbology."

Jesus Christ news travels fast around here.

I feel my cheeks flush in embarrassment as I turn back to my plate. I suppose someone did hear us in Herbology and that makes me feel dirty.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she snaps and I inhale a shaky breath as I look around the room. Lavender Brown makes eye contact with me and I look away quickly with a blush staining my cheeks. Does she know too? How many other people know that Draco and I do it? How fast does information like that travel?

"It was personal," I whisper as I bring my hand up to my face to cover my reaction. I feel like everyone in the freaking room is staring at me right now. "I didn't want everyone knowing."

Oh, my god. I widen my eyes. What if my brother finds out?

I feel like slumping under the table and hiding for the duration of the school year.

"Why not?" she says flatly as she folds the paper over and lays it on the table.

"I don't want people thinking I'm easy..."

I am very close to having a panic attack and I lick my lips nervously before chewing on my nails. What if someone saw me practically humping him in the hallway? Ugh! People are going to think terrible terrible things about me now.

"Do you think I'm easy?" she asks sharply. I shake my head and furrow my brows because she isn't being very understanding about this whole thing. My eyes flick to the Ravenclaw table where Cho Chang is. Does she know too? "Do you think I'm a slut just because I have sex?"

"No, of course not... but... it just feels weird having people know we do that..." I trail off awkwardly and she raises an eyebrow.

"It's not weird to get fucked by your boyfriend," she says as she takes a drink from her water glass. I give her a scandalous look for her crude wording and she levels me with a glare. "You're fucking, Ginny. And it's not 'making love' like that looney lovegood freak keeps saying. Draco is fucking you and you're letting him. Stop acting like a little girl about it."

I blush again and look away, feeling slightly hurt by how sharp and unfeeling she's being towards me. I wish Draco was sitting with me right now. He usually makes me feel better. "Why are you being so mean to me?" I whisper softly as I start chewing on my nails again.

She sighs loudly and then she flicks her dark eyes to the end of the table. I see Blaise down there, flirting with a pretty Slytherin girl who's a year younger than me. He's working a toothpick in between his teeth and I suspect it's because he can't smoke as freely in the castle.

"I'm sorry," she spits out as she cracks her neck. When she looks at me again, her eyes soften the slightest bit. "I've been in a bad mood all day. I find that I hate the male sex at this particular moment," she says flatly as her eyes flick to Blaise again and then back to me. I'm still chewing on my nails, and she takes my hand, pulling it away from my mouth. It is a bad habit, I guess. "But I shouldn't take that out of you because you're here."

I nod my head in understanding and exhale slowly as I go back to my meal.

"So..." she starts after a few moments of awkward silence. "Did you like it?" I nervously nod my head and she smiles as she pats my back. Her sour mood seems to be shifting into a more light hearted area. "It got better after the first time, just like I told you it would, didn't it?"

"Yeah," I say. I clear my throat and look at her. Pansy is a girl... I need girl talk right now that doesn't consist of my gossipy roommates or a spaced out Luna. I think of the talk I had with Draco in the hallway and the way he worked me up just to pull away so I wouldn't be late meeting him tonight. "Sometimes..." I start and her sharp eyes look at me. "Sometimes I feel like he has a lot of control over what I do," I admit in a soft and worried voice. "He seems to have a lot of control over everyone."

"Draco has a lot of influence in our group," she says seriously. "He's smart and rich and handsome. That's all there is to it. If you don't want to do something, get a back bone and don't do it. Don't blame him if he convinces you otherwise."

Right.

Something still feels off about this whole thing... That look Ivy had given me can not be ignored... or the things Daphne had said to me... even Blaise...

I put my chin in my hands and grumpily eat the rest of my food as Pansy turns to talk to the girl on the other side of her. She wasn't any help at all. The news paper lays folded on the table and I pick it up to look it over.

Bodies found in the Department of Mysteries

I bite my lip as I skim the head line article.

….The bodies of three ministry employees were found Tuesday morning in the highly secretive science wing at the Ministry of Magic. Scientists were allegedly developing a spell that would control and contain the effects of the Fiend Fyre curse...

I think of Draco's Prometheus project and I frown.

...The victims had been there for weeks based on the state of decomposition of the bodies. Aurors say that it had taken so long to find them because of the secrecy surrounding the project...

…...The formulas the group were working on were not found at the scene and all their findings seem to have been destroyed...

I put the paper down.

Does that have anything to do with Draco? I start chewing on my nails. Of course, Draco wouldn't kill anyone, but it has to be more than a coincidence that they were working on Fiend Fyre as well as Draco... but he said he developed it himself. Of course, it is a little far fetched that a wizard his age could control it and develop the spell himself... but he did... I saw it... and Draco did have an internship at the ministry this summer...

My head starts hurting as I try to put I all together.

Something catches the corner of my eyes and I divert my attention to the end of the slytherin table. I see Zabini smirk at the pretty blond girl and then he gets up.

Blaise.

He might be the person to talk to.

I grab my bag and stand up. "I'm going to go meet Draco," I lie. I keep my eyes on Zabini as he leaves the Great Hall. I speed walk to catch up to him, and I keep my distance so he doesn't realize he's being followed. He puts his hands in his black slacks as he jogs down the stairs and I try to be quiet as I step behind him, following him all the way to the owlery.

Most of the owls are sleeping on the perches and I stay back by the stairs as Blaise walks over to one of the windows and takes a cigarette from his pocket. I watch him with a furrowed brow as he throws his toothpick out the window and he lights the end of his fag with his wand.

I hear footsteps behind me, and I panic because I don't want someone to see me in the owlery with Zabini while he smokes. It could be a prefect! I hide behind a statue, but I scowl when I see lanky Theodore Nott walk past.

He approaches Zabini and I crane my neck to see them from my hiding spot.

"Nott," Zabini greets with out even looking away from the window. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"You have to talk to Draco for me," Theo the creep says as he glares at Zabini's back. "He's been ignoring me."

"He does that," Blaise says without a care as he turns slightly to see Nott from his peripheral.

"Tell him I don't want to do this anymore," he says and I furrow my brows even more. "Tell him I'm tired of it. She's weird and I can't do it anymore."

"You act like you have such a hard job," Zabini rolls his eyes and I narrow mine. What is he talking about? She's weird? He better not be talking about Luna.

"I don't want to do it anymore," Theo says finally. "Tell him I said that," he says sharply before turning on his heels and walking back out. Zabini shrugs and flicks his ashes out of the window.

"You can come out now," he says and I bite my lip. "You have red hair, Weasley. It doesn't exactly blend in with the shadows there."

Fuck.

I try not to blush as I step out of my hiding spot and I try to look dignified as I step into the owlery, closer to Zabini.

"Why are you spying on me?" he says as he looks down at his cigarette and then he glances out the window.

"I'm not spying," I admit, embarrassed that he caught me. "I just wanted to talk to you."

"About Draco?" he asks as he looks at me. I don't answer and he shakes his head with a bitter smile on his face. "I'm sorry, but do I have a fucking sign on my head that lets people know I'm the Draco Malfoy complaint department?"

I can't think up a response to that, so I ignore it.

"I just thought you could help me sort some things out, Blaise," I say seriously and he raises his eyebrows.

"It's Blaise now?" he says sarcastically as I cross my arms uncomfortably. "Well, since we're on a first name basis, I guess we truly are friends now. What would you like to know, Ginevra?"

Ugh, he made my name sound terrible.

"Was Theo talking about Luna?" I ask worriedly as I point to the archway where Theo had left. An owl hoots up above, but I ignore it.

"I thought you wanted to talk about Draco," he adds dryly as he flicks more ashes out the window.

"You aren't allowed to smoke on school grounds," I point out because I'm not exactly sure how to word what I want to say to him.

"I didn't realize you had more authority over me," he says as he taps his prefect badge.

I inhale an angry breath and I stare at him for a few moments before trying once more. "Who is Draco playing against?" I ask and he squints. I take a step closer. "You said that Draco was playing against someone at your party over the summer. Do you remember?" I ask and he narrows his eyes.

"I don't remember telling you anything," he lies and my temper inflames.

"Blaise," I hiss. "You set up a whole little chess board with your cigarettes and everything. You said I was the queen."

"Oh, that," he says flatly as he blows smoke from the corner of his mouth. "It was nothing."

"But..."

"Is there anything else you would like to say to me?" he asks as he throws the cigarette out the window with a flick of his fingers.

"Yes," I say with my hands on my hips as I think about that prophet article. "Do you know anything about Draco's Prometh-"

"I'm going to stop you right here," he says with his hand up. "Before you get yourself any deeper, I would like you to know that I won't tell you anything. Though it's endearing that you think I would... I suggest you speak to your boyfriend about it."

He puts his hands on his pockets and starts to walk towards the archway, but I'm not done.

"Wait," I say as I run over to him and grab his arm.

He spins on me quickly and I nearly stumble back as he looks into my eyes with so much intensity that it almost hurts.

"Wait," I say softly once I get my bearings back and I take a step back from him and his menacing amber gaze. "You're his best friend... I thought you could help me understand a few things."

"Best friend," he scoffs and rolls his eyes. "Who do you think we are? Prepubescent girls?" He shakes his head and then he looks at me. "Listen, I like you and he really likes you. You're sweet and uncomplicated and I would suggest keeping it that way. You get to see a side to him that people rarely ever see and you should take advantage of it while he still lets you. He has a lot on his plate right now and all you have to do is keep it simple."

I open my mouth to retort, but he cuts me off.

"Now, are you going to tell him about this conversation, or am I?"

"What?" I say softly as he crosses his arms over his fit chest.

"He's going to find out anyways," he says as he studies my face. "I always find it's received better from one's own mouth."

I stare at him and he licks his teeth.

"I'll give you tonight to tell him yourself, but by morning I will have to let him know," he says seriously and I frown even deeper because this just adds to the puzzle. "I would just like to point out

that he stills gives you the benefit of the doubt. I don't get that from him anymore."

"What does that mean?" I say, more confused now than when I started this conversation.

He starts walking again "You are way too deep into this rabbit hole, Alice," he mutters as he stuffs his hands back into his pockets.

"What?" I say to his retreating back.

I watch him walk all the way back to the castle and with an annoyed turn to my feet, I follow angrily behind him.

No one is on my side in this. I realize that right now and I have an angry scowl on my face when I head towards the library to meet my boyfriend.

I glance at a clock as I walk down the hallway and when I see that it's ten past eight, I cuss and start running.

"You're late," Draco says as I scurry into the library with my heavy bag over my shoulder. He's already seated with a quill poised in his hand.

I sigh. "I guess your teasing method didn't work very well for you," I snap as I take a seat and I take out my books.

I pull out my quill and some parchment and open my transfiguration text so I can work on my assignment. All my thoughts turn towards that article, though, and I glance at Draco as he works through whatever homework he has in front of him. He's taken off his vest and loosened his tie, giving him a very laid back look. His silver eyes snap to mine and I look back down quickly. It has to be a coincidence, right? Blaise and Pansy have been no help to me... maybe Blaise was right. I should talk to Draco about it. We work for half an hour before he speaks again.

"Is there something you would like to say to me?"

I glance up and then quickly look away. "No, why do you ask?" I say softly as I twirl my quill around in my hand. It's close to curfew so the place is almost empty.

"It just seems like there is something on your mind," he says flatly and I shake my head before writing something down on the transfiguration essay I had been muddling through. I wouldn't even know how to bring up that article and I feel a bit guilty about talking to Blaise even though I know I shouldn't.

I can feel him staring at me and after a few moments, he grabs my essay. "Hey," I whisper fiercely as he picks up his quill and scans the parchment with his sharp eyes. After he reads it all, he shake his head and starts scratching things out with his quill.

I narrow my eyes.

"You can tell you didn't read the chapter," he says seriously as he uses his quill to edit the hell out of it. "Stupidity is one thing I can not tolerate and I know you are smarter than this."

My cheeks heat in embarrassment and I reach across the table to grab the essay back. "It's just a freaking rough draft," I hiss and he raises an eyebrow as I look at all the things he crossed out and corrected in that short amount of time. "I don't need a tutor."

"Apparently you do," he says flatly and I glare at him. "Make those corrections," he says, nodding to the parchment. "And take out that second paragraph. You have no need for it. You're just repeating what you said in the first one with different words. Quality over quantity, Gin."

"I don't want to do my homework with you if you are going to be this judgmental," I tell him as I start gathering up my school work to put in my bag. I'm ready to go to bed.

"I just want you to live up to your full potential in every subject," he says smugly and I shoot him a look before stuffing all my papers in my bag. "When you're finished with it, I would like to read it again," he says as he starts putting his things away as well. "Transfiguration is one of my best subjects."

I make a scoffing noise in the back of my throat and he shoots me a scolding look.

"You are being awfully serious today," I tell him with a frown and he leans back in his chair and crosses his arms.

"Yes," he says with a head nod. "I spent most of my morning in the infirmary nursing a stinging curse," he says and I suddenly feel bad because I know who did that to him. My brother "You know, it was very Slytherin of your brother to shoot a curse at me when my back was turned."

I bite my lip and slump a bit in my chair. "I'm sorry about him, Draco. I don't know what to do about it." I shake my head in anger when I think about what happened in the hallway with Ron and Harry. I was actually there for that one... I wonder what they say when I'm not around.

"You shouldn't be sorry about anything, but I will say that my patience is running thin. One of these days I am going to curse back and he will not enjoy it," he says and I nod my head in understanding. "There's only so much I can take."

"I know. Ron would deserve it, of course," I admit and he gives me a little smile before standing up.

I stand up as well and he takes my bag. As we leave the library, Draco takes my hand and when we walk past the stairs I need to take to my dorm, he tugs me back.

"Curfew is soon," I point out when we stop walking.

"You're coming to my room," he tells me without even asking. "I haven't touched you in a while and I wanted to start on your occulmency lessons."

"But I can't go into your room," I whisper. "Girls aren't allowed."

"Please," he scoffs as he starts pulling me in a different direction. "If Granger can figure out the counter to that charm to let your stupid brother in, then I am more than capable."

"Oh," is all I say. "Is her room close to yours?" I question and he nods.

"Right across the hall," he answers and he nods to a door on the other side of the hallway.

When we get to his room, I hesitate before stepping in and he gives me an amused look as he places my bag down on his bed.

"Don't be afraid," he says with a smile.

The door closes behind me and he smirks as he takes off his tie. "You can take a seat," he says nodding to a small writing desk along the wall. "I'm going to change," he says as he disappears through a dark door.

The room is of a modest size, full of his house colors and stone walls. There's a small loveseat under a rather large and curved window and candle holders curl out from the walls like snakes. I take off my shoes and loosen my tie as I look around me curiously. Draco's room is impossibly clean and his bed is impeccably made. My room never looks like this in the tower and I have to wonder if he tips the house elves or if he does it on his own. He's such a perfectionist that I'm pretty sure he does it himself like a weird-o.

"Would you like more casual clothes?" he asks as he comes out of a room that I'm going to assume is the bathroom. He's wearing a thin cotton t-shirt and a pair of black sweatpants that have his Quidditch number printed on the thigh.

"Uh, yeah, I guess," I say because if he's going to comfortable, I might as well be. He goes over to a set of drawers and digs trough it until he takes out a black V neck shirt and a pair of plaid boxers. He hands them to me and I start walking towards that maybe bathroom, but he blocks me.

"You can change out here," he says and I roll my eyes as I remember a conversation close to this at his Manor.

"You didn't," I point out and he smirks darkly at me.

"You know I like watching you," he says as he walks past me and takes a seat by his writing desk. "I haven't seen your body in a while. I would like to watch," he says as he sits back in the chair with his legs crossed. He's watching me expectantly, and then he raises an eyebrow. "Please?"

"What's in it for me?" I question softly with a smirk and he laughs.

"Well, what do you want?" he asks with a smile. I don't say anything as I try to think of something clever to say... but I'm not nearly as clever as he is. "You know I could give you anything, right?" he says, sounding a bit more serious. "All you have to do is ask."

"Could you give me an island?" I joke with a smile.

"If you play your cards right, I could get you three," he smirks and I laugh. A silence falls over us, and he cocks his head to the side. "I can't force you," he says nodding to the clothes in my hand. "But it would please me."

I don't want to disappoint him, actually, so I smile at him before dropping the bundle of clothes onto the bed. I take off the tie and I start unbuttoning my shirt. I can't be sexy about it, actually, I don't know how, so I nervously look down and push every button through the hole as quickly as I can. I shrug off the shirt quickly and then move to my skirt, with my hair falling in my face so I won't make direct eye contact with him. I let my skirt fall to my feet and I kick it to the side before awkwardly taking off my tank top, leaving me in my bra and panties... that do not match. I realize this a moment too late and I sigh at the cotton pink knickers and navy bra.

I just can't be effortlessly sexy, unfortunately.

Draco puts his fingers on my chin and I gasp in surprise as he tilts it up so I can look at him. I had no idea that he moved from the chair. He looks down at me with a warm look in his eyes and then he leans down and kisses me sweetly against the lips.

I sigh softly and kiss him back with my hands wrapped around his arms.

"You make me so happy, Ginny," he says and my heart flutters when he pulls back. I smile at him as he puts his hand on my neck and I place my hand over his. "You are perfect for me," he says as he runs his fingers of his right hand down my side, tickling the curve of my waist and hips.

I lean up and place a kiss against his neck, pressing my body against his because I like being close to him. "Alright," he says as he wraps his arms around me, pulling into a hug. "Get dressed and we'll get started."

"Okay," I say softly in a love stupor and when he steps back, I quickly put on his clothes. They're a bit too big for me, of course, but nothing too ridiculous.

"There are different layers to mind reading," he says as he takes a seat back by his writing desk.

There's no where else to sit but the bed to see him comfortably, so I sit with my legs crossed on the mattress as I watch him.

"That's one of the main things you have to understand. It's divided up into three different categories: Thoughts, fantasies, and memories. They always overlap and interrupt each other, so it takes a lot to actually go in and dig the truth out. If a thought is forefront in your mind... or an image.. then it will not be hard for a person to grab it. You wouldn't even feel it. Like, for instance, you thinking about reading that article while we were in the library," he says and I let my jaw drop.

"What?" I say softly even though I know perfectly well

"It is just a coincidence, Ginny," he says with a serious tilt of his face. "I don't want you to think about it anymore. This is why you need to learn this stuff. I can't have people listening in on you to find out my secrets."

"I'm sorry," I say quickly, even though I'm not sure if I should. "But, how did I not feel it?" I ask seriously. "I felt it the last time you were in my mind."

"The only time you feel it is when someone takes out a memory without lies. That's the hardest to shield."

"Like when you looked up that memory with Harry?" I ask softly and he nods his head.

"That always hurts," he says flatly. "That's why we need to teach you how to block your mind."

"Even from you?" I ask and raises an eyebrow.

"You'll never be able to block from me," he says seriously and I frown. "You feel too much for me," he admits. "Emotions always get in the way."

"That hardly seems fair," I mumble and he stands up with his wand in his hand.

"It's not," he admits as he takes my hand so I'm standing and he hands me my wand. "But you have nothing to hide now, do you?"

I think of my conversation with Blaise and how he said I needed to tell Draco before he did. I inhale deeply.

"Do you?" he repeats flatly and I tighten my jaw.

"I talked to Blaise before I met you in the library," I admit in a soft voice and he raises an eyebrow. "I thought I could talk to him about that article I read about the deaths at the Department of Mysteries. I almost asked him about your fiend fyre project."

"Why wouldn't you just ask me first?" he asks sharply and I shrug.

"I don't know," I admit. "I just... I don't know. I thought he could... I don't know," I repeat stupidly and he licks his lower lip.

"Will you let me see the conversation?" he asks as he takes a step closer to me.

"What?" I ask and he takes another step closer to me, putting his hand on my face and looking into my eyes.

I feel it again, that mind raping feeling that went through me when he was digging out that memory with Harry. He finds my conversation with Blaise in the Owlery and I clench my eyes shut as he watches it. It hurts and I nearly start crying. When he's done, and he pulls out, I open my eyes, noticing they're a bit wet from the intrusion.

"If you have questions, you come to me from now on," he says seriously as he runs his thumb over my lips. "Is that fair?"

I nod my head.

"Good, now, stand over there," he says, pointing to the opposite wall. I do as he says and I cross my arms.

He spends two hours giving me a tiring lesson on how to block my mind from intruders and when he's finished, I slowly crawl into his bed and rest against his pillows without a second thought as he curls up beside me. I'm exhausted and my brain hurts from him digging through it so viciously. He brought up every random memory I had. Kissing Dean for the first time, when my father taught me how to ride a bike, the first time Harry stayed at our house... Then he told me that if I start thinking of something out of nowhere, just a random thought that pops up, then I should shield myself because it's probably someone gently prodding my mind. I sigh when Draco puts his arm around me and I try to ignore the dull ache in my head as I drift off to sleep.

I awake to an alarm clock going off.

I crack an eye open and when I see what time it is, I groan.

"Why is it so early?" I snap groggily as Draco reaches over me to turn the alarm off.

"I have a meeting with the prefects," he says in a voice thick with sleep. He kisses my cheek. "You can go back to sleep for another hour or so," he says as he slides off the bed. "I have head boy duties," he says smugly.

"Glorified hall monitor," I mumble and he laughs.

I close my eyes again without a word as he makes his way to the bathroom and I huddle under the covers. His bed is much more comfortable than my dorm bed and I'm glad I get to sleep in it a bit longer. I hear a shower turn on somewhere and I cuddle more into the warmth of the bed as I try to drift back to sleep.

I fall asleep for all of ten minutes before I feel Draco's presence by me once more, sliding the covers back.

"I thought I had an hour to sleep in," I whine as he turns on the lights.

"You do," he says in a deep voice as he pulls the covers totally off of me. I scowl. "But I had some wicked thoughts while I was in the shower and since the source of my discomfort is willingly in my bed, I thought I'd take advantage of it this morning. "

"But I'm tired," I say with a yawn as I roll to my back and cover my eyes with my arm.

"And I'm hard," he says as he starts kissing my shoulder, and then he moves to my neck. "Only one of us can win this war... and I always win, so you do the math," he says as his hand slides in between my legs and he sucks on my ear.

I arch my back when his fingers slip under the hem line of his boxers and I finally open my eyes to look at him.

He smiles at me.

I narrow my eyes but I let him kiss me anyways.

"I'll have to deal with so many idiots today," he says. He pulls back and I lick my lips, looking at him as he stands up. He never got dressed after the shower, and he's just wearing a towel wrapped around his hips. He lets it drop and then he crawls into the bed beside me. "This will put me in a good mood."

I scoot over to give him room as he tugs on the shirt I'm wearing.

"Take this off," he says as he kisses my cheek.

I sigh loudly before doing as he says and removing the shirt. He starts snogging me again and his clever fingers reach around to my back to unhook my bra. It is so freaking early in the morning that I barely care what happens either way.

I hold back a yawn as I lift my hips to push down my knickers and boxers as Draco caresses me all over with his sinful left hand. After he's successfully worked me up and got me ready, he lays back and rolls me on top of him. I make a groaning noise into his mouth as we kiss and I try to get back on the bed, but he stops me.

"I'm tired too," he says with a smirk as he grabs me around the back of the knees so I'm straddling him. "Why don't you be a good girlfriend and let me relax," he says as I use his chest as leverage as I sit up.

He puts his hands behind his head and smirks at me. I become self conscience, so I go to cover my chest, but he stops me with his hands firmly around my wrists. "I would prefer to be on bottom," I mumble. I don't know how to move or how fast to go, and he's in a position where he can see absolutely everything and I haven't even brushed my teeth yet!

He shakes his head with a smile. "I'm tired of doing all the work," he says as he releases one of my wrists and he reaches down in between our bodies. "Come on, my love," he says and I glance at him for the tender way he's speaking to me. "Be sweet to me."

I lift myself up and settle my body on top of him, slowly lowering down until we're fully connected. I pause a second and close my eyes as I lay my hands on his chest. I feel him tuck some hair behind my ear and when I open my eyes, he's smiling at me.

"Move," is all he says and I bend down to kiss him as I start to rock against him.

I know I'm doing this wrong. I feel uncomfortable and everything is moving oddly. "Is this okay?" I ask nervously as I keep moving against him and he grabs my face and kisses me.

"You're doing fine, sweetheart. Just do what feels good."

"You always feel good," I admit in a soft whisper and he smiles at me. "I don't want to do this wrong."

"Just keep moving the way you are," he says as he puts his hands on my hips and he starts manipulating my movements with his strength. "Does that feel good?" he asks and I nod my head. He moves his hand down and rubs me... there... while I move. "Does that feel better?" he says with a smirk as I bite my bottom lip as I arch my back.

"Yeah..." I say in a breathless whisper because, oh my god, it does feel good.

"Good," is all he says as he watches me move. "Just keep that up."

Eventually, he starts telling me to go faster and I obey because I want to keep the feeling going. After a while, I feel myself getting ready to come, so I lean down and kiss him. "Can we switch?" I ask with a moan. "Will you be on top?" I love how hard he can go and he hits me in just the right spot when he's in control.

He nods his head with flushed cheeks and he rolls us in one fluid movement. He grabs my wrists and pins them to the bed as he pounds into me.

I get off quickly and he follows a few moments later with a hiss in my ear. We rest for a few moments before he kisses my temple and rolls off the bed.

"Go back to sleep," he says softly as he gets dressed. I watch him walk about the room as I pull the covers up. When he's finished and he combs his hair out, he walks over to me and kisses my lips. "I'll meet you in the Great Hall for breakfast, yes?" he says and I nod my head before he turns out the light.

When he leaves, I roll to the side and fall back asleep with a very uncomfortable wetness between my legs.

I haven't written anything in weeks and every time I try to sit down and actually come up with something, my mind draws a blank. All I think about now is Draco. How he smiles, how he makes me feel, the clever things he says. With each thought of Draco there's an underlining feeling of unease. That look Ivy had given me had really shook me and I can't help but try to figure it all out. The cryptic things that Blaise had said, the way Daphne acts like Draco is her boss, and the looks I always get...

Ugh, it hurts my brain.

I glare down at the empty page and chew on the end of my pen as I try to think of something to write. My thoughts, of course, drift to Draco again. He's such a mystery to me. I could ask him, of course, but but I never get a straight answer from him and he always turns it around on me somehow. I know that's not the best thing to think about the person you love, but it's true. I have to be honest with myself.

Draco can spin a good story.

I look down at the page again and sigh. Unlike like me, apparently.

With an irritated glare, I snap my notebook closed and stick my pen behind my ear. I look out at the lake and squint my eyes against the sun as I try not to worry too much about it. Draco has been giving me nightly occlemency lessons that wear me out, but the nightly shags aren't so bad. I think of it with a little smile and I touch my lips with my fingers.

"Can I sit with you?"

I jump and snap my neck to the right to see Hermione approaching me with quiet steps. It's a Sunday, so she's wearing her casual clothes. A pair of jeans, white trainers, and a pink t-shirt.

I don't answer, I just nod my head and sit forward again, trying to still my beating heart.

I scoot over as she sits beside me and we sit in silence for a while until she finally speaks. "How are you doing, Ginny?" she asks softly.

I itch my cheek nervously and look at the lake. "I'm fine. How are you?" I ask formally. I haven't spoken to her yet. In fact, I've been avoiding her since we've been here.

"I'm tired," she says honestly and then I glance at her from the corner of my eyes. She has her thick frizzy hair up in a messy bun and her eyes looks dark. "It's hard," she says and then she licks her dry lips. "It's hard to go to class and try to act normal when nothing is normal."

"Do you like having your own room, though?" I ask. "Being headgirl and all. I thought it would be your dream come true."

"My priorities have changed," she says dryly. Another silence falls over us and I hug my notebook to my chest. "This is the only time I've seen you alone," she says, her eyes studying my profile. "You're always with those girls... or him."

She says him like he was some deadly disease.

"Yeah," I say as I nod my head because she's right. "I came out here to be alone," I admit in a whisper as I look behind me like I thought some Slytherins would be there watching me.

I'm never alone anymore. Pansy and Daphne are always around when I'm not with Draco and the Slytherins in my grade always keep an eye on me in class. That's another concerning thing, but I try to tell myself it's just because they like me... that I'm Draco's girlfriend so it's normal... That Draco just wants them to be my friends too so I can fit in better...

A part of me knows that's complete bullshit, though.

"Oh," she says and then she turns her body more towards mine. "Is he... is he nice to you?"

"Is who nice to me?" I ask, knowing full well who she means.

"Malfoy... he's so mean to everyone else," she says and then she purses her lips. "Is he nice to you?"

"Yes," I answer truthfully. I finally look her in the eyes so I can convey what I really mean. "He is so sweet to me."

"I've noticed the way he acts towards you," she says and I raise an eyebrow. "He's always with you, leading you around, and touching you... You hated it when Dean was so possessive like that."

"I know," I say because it's the truth. I shrug. "I guess I just don't notice it so much when Draco does it. It makes me feel special, I guess," I admit a dark secret to her and she furrows her brows. "Dean was just awkward about it, though... Draco seems like a gentlemen when he opens doors and puts his hand on my waist."

She eyes me for a few moments before looking down at my lap.

"Did he give you that?" she asks, nodding to the bracelet on my wrist.

I nod and put my arm out so she can see it better. "He did," I say and I smile a little bit as I remember the night he gave it to me. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"It looks very old," she says as she puts her fingers out to touch the dragons.

"Yes, I suppose it is," I muse as I look at the sparkling emerald eyes. "It's the nicest thing anyone has ever given me," I admit and she frowns.

"Harry told me about what happened in the common room the first night here," she says and I glance at her before looking away. "He said that when he got close to you, some kind of magic threw you back. What was that?"

"I think he was going to kiss me," I say to change the subject. "Why would he do that? He knew I'm with Draco."

She sighs loudly. "He's liked you for a while now, Gin," she says and I shoot her a look. "He didn't know what to do about it because of your brother, but seeing you with Malfoy is just killing him." I don't say anything... I just keep looking at her. "I know Malfoy might be exciting and all that. You can rebel against your family, whatever," she shakes her head. "But, Ginny," she puts her hand on my exposed knee. I'm wearing a denim skirt that I borrowed from Daphne and it is on the shorter side of the spectrum. "Harry likes you. He's just been too nervous to admit it all this time."

"Why didn't you ever tell me?" I snap and she raises her eyebrows. She knew how much I liked Harry. If he's 'liked me' all this time, she should have mentioned it. "Or is this just Ron's scheme to get me to break up with Draco? I'm not a stupid little girl, Hermione, and this thing with my boyfriend isn't just a fling."

I stand up, so does she.

"Harry only told me he liked you that way this summer," she says and then she sighs. "But I think I've known that he's wanted you for a while... Just the way he looks at you..." she trails off. "He's my best friend and he made me promise not to say anything to anyone, especially you or Ron."

I cross my arms. "The timing of this seems suspicious," I snort and she shakes her head.

"Ginny, Harry likes you," she says. "Isn't that what you've always wanted? And he's so... sad all the time now. I think you'd be good for him. He needs someone to love him now, something more than what me or Ron could give him."

"I love Draco," I state solidly, even though there is a little flicker in my heart over Harry. I stamp it down quickly. I've made my choice already.

"How can you love him?" she says in disgust. "You barely even know him. You've been dating him for what... a few months maybe?" She shakes head. "And from what I've seen, your relationship with him isn't normal. He has way too much control over what you do."

"What are you talking about?" I scoff. "You don't know what our relationship is like.

"I know what I see," she says. "He never sits with your friends, he never lets you out of his sight, and I know what happened between you and Harry...that spell that made you get thrown back... that's not normal. That sounds like some kind of creepy dark magic to me." She looks at my bracelet. "Have you checked that for spells?" She asks and I glare. "Can you take it off?"

I flush for her last comment and then I narrow my eyes. "He doesn't sit my friends because I don't have any in my house that I'd want to introduce him to," I say hatefully, hoping to hurt her. "I thought you were my best friend until I realized your loyalty wasn't to me," I say as I stuff my notebook in my bag and I fling it over my shoulder. "It's always someone else," I mutter to myself. "I'm never anyone's number one."

"That's not true, Gin," she says with a head shake. "Where are you going?" she asks with a sigh as I start walking away.

"Away from you," I hiss and she jogs to catch up with me.

"Gin, I'm sorry about everything," she says but I narrow my eyes. "We'll be leaving soon," she says and I stop walking to glance at her. "We have to. Dumbledore told us to come back, but we haven't heard from him in months," she sighs and puts her hand on her neck. "We've found a way to kill Voldemort, Ginny," she says in a whisper as she looks around us to make sure no one is listening. "There are things we have to find before we can, but once we do, we can finally destroy him for good."

"That's... That's good..." I say like an idiot because I can't say anything else.

"Harry might die," she says in a tight voice. "We all might. I don't want you holding a grudge against any of us. I miss your friendship and I'm sorry for what happened this summer, but some things are more important."

"Right," I tell her and then I look away. "I have to meet Pansy," I say honestly as I check the time on the wall when we get inside. "We'll talk later, yeah?" I say, my anger melting and she nods her head.

"Yeah," she whispers as she watches me walk off.

When I meet Pansy and Daphne in the hallway by the Slytherin common room, they look annoyed. "Where have you been?" Pansy asks as she checks her watch. "We've been waiting."

"Sorry," I mutter as she turns towards the portrait to give the Slytherin Password.

Daphne takes my arm. "It's alright," she says brightly as we walk into their common room and I try to ignore the pain in my heart after the conversation with Hermione. Their common room isn't very inviting either... It's all dark and green and menacing looking. It's nothing like the warmness in Gryffindor tower. "We weren't waiting that long."

"Good," I say with a sigh as I let myself get pulled towards the seventh year girl dorms.

When we get to their room, Daphne sits me down at one of the chairs in front of a large mirror and she starts brushing out my hair. Pansy digs through her school chest and pulls out a bottle of wine. I look down at the bracelet on my wrist. To be honest, I haven't even tried to take it off. I frown at the thought of what Hermione said and I use my right hand to try to remove it.

"Where did you get that?" I ask as Daphne finds a pair of scissors in one of the drawers. She's been determined to cut my bangs and she's been bothering me about it for days. I finally gave in this morning when she started to whine over breakfast.

"There's a secret passage in our common room," Pansy says as she pops the cork and lets it breathe for a few moments before taking out three plastic cups.

Classy.

"It leads right outside of Hogsmeade and there's a place that sells the best wine a few blocks down."

"So you can leave the castle?" I say with a frown as Daphne combs out my bangs so she can trim them. I bring the bracelet up to my teeth in an attempt to open the clasp because my fingers don't seem to be strong enough.

"Not many people know about it," Pansy answers as she pours the wine into the cups. Daphne smacks my hand because it's in the way and I go back to trying to slip the bracelet off as it rests against my lap."Only Draco knows how to open it. His grandfather gave him the password last year. I would appreciate it if you didn't run and tell everyone that fact."

I nod my head. "Yeah, I won't." I honestly.

"Ready?" Daphne asks once she combs my bangs the way she needs them. They are getting long. They reach the top of my cheeks now. I don't think they officially count as bangs when they're that long, actually.

"Don't make them too short," I say worriedly as I stop fiddling with the jewelry. "There is nothing more stupid looking than a girl with bangs that are too short."

She laughs and brings the scissors up. "I'm a professional, Ginny, just relax," she says as she takes one of the plastic cups from Pansy and she takes a significant gulp before setting it down on one of the tables.

"Could you not drink right before cutting my hair?" I say seriously and she snorts.

"Don't worry," she says as she gathers some hair in her hand. She brings up the scissors and they make an irritating cutting noise as they chop through my hair. The strands fall on my lap and I sigh at them "It's just a little hair maintenance, is all. Nothing too serious."

"Right," I whisper as she moves the scissors through my bangs. Each cut is like sandpaper on my ears and I start biting my nails once she's out of the way.

Whens she's finished, she combs my bangs again and I dust off the hair, gathering it up and throwing it away before walking towards the mirror to have a look. It actually doesn't look too bad and I touch them before smiling. They rest right at my eyebrows now, like bangs should.

"What do you think?" Daphne asks as she walks towards me and hands me one of the plastic cups of wine.

"It looks good," I say before taking a drink. "Thank you."

"You know, if it paid better I believe I would enjoy being a hair stylist," she says as she puts my hair over my shoulders and she grins at my reflection.

"You are good at it," I say as I look at her own curled hair that she has done up in a complicated looking twist.

I sit on Daphne's bed and flick through a magazine while Daphne and Pansy talk about Blaise Zabini and what a whore he's being this year. It's a shoe catalog and I think about the snake skin pumps I wear everyday... I should get some of my own. I know eventually I'd have to return the shoes to her. They don't belong to me, after all, and I figure I could buy a few pumps of my own.

"What do you think, Gin?" Pansy asks as I bite my lip and try to decide what shoes I want to order.

"About what?" I ask as I turn the page.

"About Blaise. I think I'm going to break up with him." I look up and take a drink from my glass as Pansy eyes me.

"I didn't know you were actually with him," I admit and she narrows his eyes .

"I told you we had an open relationship, but I gave him an ultimatum. Either we get serious or it's over."

"What did he say to that?" I ask softly as she downs her cup.

"He laughed," she says bitterly and I give her a sympathetic look as Daphne pats her back. "I don't even know why I tried. He can't keep it in his pants."

"But he's so pretty," Daphne sighs and Pansy shoots her a hateful look.

"Zabini is a jerk," I say as I think of our talk in the owlery and she nods her head in agreement. "You deserve better."

"I know I do," she says and then she looks at Daphne. "You're right, of course. It's harder because he's pretty." She laughs a little and I smile sadly.

"When do you think you'll do it?" I ask softly and she shrugs her shoulders.

"I might just write him a note. He probably wouldn't even mind," she states bitterly. I furrow my brows.

"Doesn't he like you?" I ask cautiously. To be honest, I've never seen him treat her in any good way like a boyfriend would. "I mean, when you're alone, is he sweet?" I ask as I think of Draco.

She raises her eyebrows. "As sweet as he can be," she says with a shrug. "It's not exactly in his DNA to be loving."

"Oh," I say softly as I close the magazine.

"Is Draco loving to you?" Daphne asks as she takes a strand of Pansy's hair and she starts braiding it.

"Yeah," I admit as I blink a few times. I look back down at the bracelet and try to pull it off without bothering with the clasp, but it's too small to fit over my hand. "He's very loving."

"I wonder what that's like," Daphne says with a sigh as I clench my teeth and try to angle my wrist the right way to successfully take the bracelet off. "Draco is so short and hateful when he talks to me."

"That's because he doesn't like you that much," Pansy says as she looks down at her fingernails with her long legs crossed. Daphne makes a scoffing noise.

"Hey, he does."

Pansy looks at me and rolls her eyes before taking a drink from her cup. "You slept with his uncle," Pansy says with an irritable sigh. I didn't actually know Draco had an uncle and I make a face. "You knew how pissed off he was."

"Well," Daphne scrunches up her face. "His uncle seduced me."

"Hardly," Pansy says with an eyeroll.

"That was last year anyways," Daphne says like it was no big deal. "It wasn't that big of a deal."

"It doesn't matter. Draco doesn't like loose women," Pansy says and she winks at me when I look at her. Daphne pulls her hair and Pansy cusses. "I was just joking," Pansy snaps as she pulls away so Daphne can't cause anymore damage as she rubs her scalp. "Don't be a bitch."

"Ginny, what are you doing?" Daphne asks as I put my arm against the bed so I can get a better hold on the clasp. "You look retarded."

I glare at her. "I'm trying to take off this bracket," I say as I furrow my brows and attempt to use my fingernails to pry it open. "Can one of you help me?" I ask as I get off Daphne's bed and I take a seat by Pansy with my wine cup in my right hand. I hold out my wrist to her. "Can you take it off?"

"Why do you want it off?" she asks skeptically and I shrug.

"I just want to," I say and she eyes me for a few serious moments before opening her mouth to respond, but someone comes barreling into the room without preamble. I snap my hand back to my lap.

"You guys need to listen to this," Ivy Parkinson runs over to the wireless radio against the wall. She spares me a little glance before turning it on and turning up the volume. "The whole castle is listening," she adds seriously.

...The body of Albus Dumbledore was found this afternoon in the basement of a dilapidated home in Knockturn alley...

I drop my cup of wine and it splashes all over the hardwood floor. I cover my mouth with my hand and widen my eyes as I listen to the radio.

….His body was thin and near death when the Aurors say someone used the killing curse to end the renowned wizards life...

Harry.

With Dumbledore gone, Harry isn't safe.

"I have to go," I say. I get off the bed and head towards the door, ignoring Pansy as she calls after me.

When I get to the hallway, I start running. I head towards the head boy and girl hall and when I get to Hermione's door, I pound on it.

"Hermione, it's Ginny. Open the door."

A few seconds later, the door slides open and I step inside to see Harry and Ron both sitting on the bed with worried looks on their faces. The radio is on and the same voice I heard in the Slytherin dorms is coming from the speakers.

"You've heard," I point out and Harry nods his head. "Harry, you have to leave," I say seriously and Hermione closes the door behind me.

"We've tried. All of the secret passages out of the castle have been blocked... and there are dementers at the door," she says softly with a worried frown on her face

Oh my god...

We all look at the radio when the announcer says that. That can't be good.

This just in: the Ministry has fell.

My heart starts hammering.

Reports are pouring in from all over England. The Ministry of Magic has been taken over by a group of black cloaked figures... The Dark Mark was seen above the carnage... Another report: Gringotts has been seized and many goblins slaughtered...Azkaban has been broken into and many inmates freed...Oh, my god...

The announcers voice gets cut off and then there's dead air, buzzing through the radio in a eery whisper.

I look at Harry. He stands up and pulls on his hair.

"Goverment and money," Hermione whispers and then she gives us all a worried look. "Education is next. They'll be coming for Hogwarts."

"You have to leave," I state again, more fiercely this time and Harry snaps me a look. "Snape isn't going to protect you or the castle. McGonagall isn't even here to help."

"How, Ginny? We're not ready to fight him and there's no way to leave."

"Wait," I say as I think of what Pansy said in her room. "Stay here," I say quickly before leaving the room.

I run across the hall and say Draco's password. I run in and find him sitting by his writing desk, polishing his shoes as he listens to the radio.

"Draco," I say quickly and he puts his polishing rag down as I run over to him. "I need your help," I tell him seriously and he stands up, towering over me. "Harry needs to leave this castle and all the exits are blocked."

"What am I supposed to do about that?" he asks flatly. His eyes look cold and lifeless. I don't like it, so I take a step closer to him and I take his hand.

"Pansy said that there's a passageway in the Slytherin common room that leads just outside of Hogsmeade. She said you're the only one who knows how to open it."

"And..." he says coldly and I blink back tears as I think about the terrible things that will happen if the Dark Lord finds my brother and his very important friends.

"Draco, you can't deny that he's back now," I say as I motion to the radio. There's a new voice now, and the dark voice keeps on listing off the different government buildings and public places that the Death Eaters have taken over in their coup. "Please help," I say with my eyes watering. "They will kill Harry if he doesn't get out tonight."

He just stares at me and I let tears slip down my cheeks.

"Draco, please," I say softly. "Please help." I'm not above begging when it comes to the lives of people I care about. "Please," I say as I lean up to place a convincing kiss against his lips. "Please help me."

There's a loud beep and then Headmaster Snape's voice filters through the room.

"All students report to the Great Hall," his sour voice says calmly. "I repeat, all students and their head of houses are to report to the Great Hall immediately." There's another loud beep signaling the end of the announcement and I look at him again.

"Please," I say with a pitiful sob. I place another kiss at the corner of him mouth to try to win him over as I wrap my arms around him. Why isn't he helping! "Please, for me?"

After a few moments, I hear him sigh.

"Fucking fine," he says as he slips on his newly polished shoes. He walks over to his door and opens it. Students are running to get to the Great Hall and he looks over his shoulder. "Can he make it through the halls unnoticed?"

I think of his invisibility cloak and I nod my head.

"Good," is all he says as he walks back into his room and he pulls two Slytherin cloaks from his wardrobe. He hands them to me and I take his hand, leading him to Hermione's room where I pound on the door again.

"It's Ginny," is all I say and then the door opens. They're all up and packing their bags quickly, but when they see Draco, they all freeze and raise their wands.

"Wait," I say with my hand up. "Wait, he can help."

"Ginny, what are you thinking?" Ron hisses as he glares at me.

"He knows a way out of the castle. He can help," I say as I squeeze his hand.

"How can we trust him,? Hermione says as she flicks her eyes to Draco who looks away with an eyeroll.

"You can trust him because I trust him. When Snape notices we're not in the Great Hall. They're going to go looking for us. What other options do you have?"

"Do you really trust him on this?" Hermione asks as she looks deeply into my eyes. I nod my head and after a few moments she sighs. "Fine," Hermione says as she looks at Harry. "It's our only plan right now."

I throw his cloaks to Ron and Hermione as Harry puts on his invisibility cloak. I watch as Hermione tucks her hair under the hood and covers her face before we leave the room. The halls are a mad place, with students running and pushing one another over in panic and in a hurry to get to the great hall. I see Neville running towards one of the exits of the castle, but he gets blasted back by a security charm. No way out now. I just hope this secret passage can deliver.

When we get to the Slytherin common room, it's completely empty and I figure everyone is in the great hall. I watch as Draco walks over to the fireplace and he looks at all of us before shaking his head and tapping a few stones beside the mantle with his wand while whispering a quiet phrase in an old language I don't recognize.

When the fireplace turns to reveal a tunnel, an open and unblocked tunnel, I find a pleased smile on my face because it was true and Draco is helping.

"How do we know there aren't Death Eaters waiting for us on the other side of that tunnel?" Ron asks suspiciously as Draco leans against the wall with his arms crossed.

"You don't," Draco says flatly and I give him a look.

"He didn't volunteer to help," I point out. "I asked him. He wouldn't have this planned," I say and my brother sneers like the hateful beast he's become.

"Either we stay here and die or we go there and die," Harry says tiredly as he takes off his cloak, revealing himself.

"Here," Hermione digs through her small lavender purse and she pulls out a golden compact. "I have the other one," she says as I open it and look at the mirror. "Keep this on you. When we... if we..." she says as she flicks a glance to Draco. "If we get to safety, I'll let you know. The mirror will vibrate if I leave a message."

"Okay," I say with more embarrassing tears in my eyes as I give her a hug. "I'm sorry I was so short with you earlier," I say against her hair and she nods her head.

"Me too."

I go to my brother next and give him a firm hug. Ron was my best friend when we were little and I hold onto him a little longer than necessary. I couldn't take it if anything happened to him. Even though he is the biggest prat in the world, I still love him.

"If your boyfriend leads us to our death, I will never forgive you," he mutters as he hugs me back.

"Be safe," I tell him, ignoring his comment.

When I get to Harry, I hesitate a moment before giving him a quick hug. I don't want to start burning again, and when I pull back, I glance at Draco. He raises an eyebrow at me before I look back at Harry.

"Bye," I say weakly because I can't think of anything else to say. Hermione said that he liked me and now I feel kind of awkward being around him. My brother starts walking towards the tunnel with Hermione on his heels, but Harry just stares at me.

"Come with us," he says after a few long moments of silence.

"What?" Draco says dryly, but Harry ignores him as he takes a step closer.

"You're not safe here either, Gin," he whispers as he looks into my eyes. "Come with us. Please."

"Please," Draco says sarcastically as he pushes himself off the wall so he can stand by me. "She's not going anywhere with you."

"That's not your call," Harry says darkly and then he looks back at me. "Ginny, I want you to come with us."

How many years have I wanted to hear something like that from Harry Potter? Draco puts his arm around my waist and glares at my profile as I think of how to respond. Too many years, actually.

"No," I say with a dry throat, not exactly sure if it's the right decision or not. "I... I should stay here."

"Why?" Harry asks seriously and Hermione comes up to him and puts her hand on his shoulder.

"We've got to leave now," she says quietly. "Mrs. and Mr. Weasley will probably pull her out soon," she says gently. "She'll be safe and at least her family will know where she is."

Harry looks at me for one long moment before nodding his head and walking towards the tunnel. I wave to them as they leave and I sag my shoulders a bit when Draco shuts the passage way.

"Satisfied?" he says and when I look at him, I pull him to me in a tight hug. "We have to go to the Great Hall," he says after a few moments. "People will get suspicious."

I nod my head and I let myself get led towards the hall with his hand on my back. The Great Hall has been emptied of all it's tables and the house banners that usually hang from the walls are gone. All the students look confused and scared and I follow Draco until we're by Zabini and his small group of friends.

After half an hour of standing and worrying, the doors by the teachers table open and the faculty, plus a few other menacing looking figures, file out and stand before us as the hall quiets down.

A man I don't recognize steps towards the front and clears his throat. He's middle aged, with black hair that's white and gray peppered at his temples. His skin is very pale, like he hasn't seen the sun in a very long time and his eyes are rimmed in red. I fold my body more towards Draco and put my arm around his waist to keep him close as the man pulls a wand from a pocket in his black dress robes.

"My name is Izador Rookwood," the man says with a deep voice. A few students make some gasping noises at the name. I know Rookwood was a Death Eater... I don't know if this is the same notorious wizard that killed so many people during the first war with Voldemort. "After tonight I will officially be the new Head of Education and a liaison to the new Ministry."

I swallow the thick lump in my throat.

"Tomorrow you wake up to a new world and your education is going to be top priority in our empire," he says. "Classes will be canceled while we do evaluations on each and every student here." he says as his dark eyes skip around the room. "We'll be building a new curriculum and a new way of learning."

I bite my lip so hard it hurts.

"I know some of you would like to leave," he says as he zeros in on some of my Gryffindor house mates. "But if you try, you will officially be tried as blood traitors to our cause and sent for re-education in the newly established Azkaban penitentiary."

I glance around me until I find Neville nursing a wound from the protecting charms on the door. He looks one step away from cursing the man in front of us. There's a rage in his eyes that I've never seen Neville possess.

"Re-education?" I whisper but Draco shushes me.

"It has recently come to our attention that Harry Potter has left Hogwarts," he says as he puts his hand on his chest. "Any student known to have aided him in his departure will be punished to the full extent of the law." I start shaking, but Draco holds me firmly against him. "If anyone has any knowledge of his whereabouts, we urge you to come forward and share it with us. From this day forward, he is to be known as public enemy number one and he will be seized on sight," he says harshly and then he takes a deep breath. "Now, we want everyone in this room to rise to their full potential. Every drop of magical blood is needed for our world and we will hone your craft and help you grow within your required field."

I furrow my brows and I look at Zabini because he's crossing his arms. He has his eyebrows raised and he looks slightly amused by this whole thing. I shake my head and turn back to the man at the front of the room.

"There will no longer be houses dividing up the students of Hogwarts," he says as he takes out his wand and raises it to the ceiling. "We will live and die under one powerful symbol now. We are all in this for the greater good of our race."

He shoots out a spell from his wand and we all look up at the Dark Mark that's sizzling green against the cathedral ceiling. I think I might faint and I instantly regret not going with Harry and my brother. I hope my family's okay. We're known for being 'blood-traitor' and my father works at the ministry. I start biting my nails again as I worry about them. I hope they're okay. I blink back tears and I try to remind myself that no one could get past our wards. If they were home when this happened, they should be fine.

People start clapping and cheering as the Dark Mark glows against the castle walls, but I can't help the pool of dread that's in my stomach, making me feel all kinds of sick.

I flick at glance at Draco.

He's smiling and when he notices me staring at him, he brings a hand up and pulls my fingers away from my mouth.

"Stop biting your nails," is all he says before turning back to Rookwood who's still giving his speech on education reform and military diligence.

I feel sick and I hold my stomach to keep it from doing anything bad.

We're released to our rooms after that, with a reminder on the evaluations that will start in the morning, and I follow Draco all the way back to his room. I put the golden compact on Draco's writing desk and I stare at it intently for an hour as I chew on my fingernails and will it to work. Draco doesn't even try to talk to me as he sits down on the small loveseat by the window. He takes out a book to read like the world didn't just turn upside down all in three hours and I spare him a little glare before staring at the compact again.

When it finally vibrates, I jump up and grab it. I open it quickly and look into the mirror, sighing in relief when I see Hermione's face. She's covered in ash, but all in one piece.

"We were able to make it to a safe house," she says and my heart leaps. "Everyone is alright, but we can't talk for very long," she says and I nod my head. "Be safe, Ginny," she says before closing the compact, so I'm left staring at my own reflection again.

My heart is soaring now, and I run to Draco and pounce on him.

"Thank you," I say as I kiss him, throwing his stupid book to the side. "Thank you so much." I straddle his lap and kiss him deeply. "You saved their lives." I say softly when I pull back and I lock my hands around his neck. "Thank you. I love you so much."

"Yeah," he says dryly as he rolls his eyes.

I slide off of him and curl next to him, kissing his arm and his shoulder and his neck and his cheek over and over again to show him how grateful I am as I try not to worry about what tomorrow will bring. He picks up his book again and starts reading as I lean against his side and I tuck my feet underneath me after kicking off my shoes.

I stare blankly ahead of me, randomly kissing his arm as I try not to worry.

After a while, Zabini comes into the room unannounced, but Draco doesn't even look up from his book as Blaise clicks on the radio and sits on top of the writing desk. I stare at him as he pulls a cigarette from his pocket and lights it with his wand as a hissing and high pitched voice starts speaking.

I know whose voice that belongs to and I get a chill as I cuddle up closer to Draco.

Pansy comes into the room next and I sit up and give her a confused look as she closes the door and takes a seat on Draco's bed.

No one says anything and I worry my teeth between my lips as they all stare off, listening to the Dark Lord hiss out his plans for the future. Draco puts the book on his knee and bring his hand up to his chin as I stare at his profile and worry about my family. All of them belong to the Order... does the Dark Lord know that?

I kiss Draco's cheek just so I can touch him.

He glances at me and puts his arm around my shoulders, rubbing my arm as Voldemort goes on about unity and blood status and the importance of purity in family lines.

I tuck my head against his chest and stare at the floor as Zabini's cigarette glows against the dim lighting in the room...

When the speech is done, Blaise turns off the radio and the three of them share a long and significant look that's totally lost on me.

I feel something right now that is very uncomfortable for a Gryffindor like me to feel... Fear...

I'm officially afraid.

I look at Draco's profile again, and when he glances at me, I sit up and kiss him firmly against the lips, ignoring the other two in the room. I know I can trust him with anything after what he did for Harry, Ron, and Hermione tonight and all my doubts and worries and bad thoughts get thrown out the window. I slip onto his lap and bring my hand up to his neck as I continue to kiss him with all the passion I have in my body. When I pull back, I look into his eyes so he can see how grateful I am towards him... I want him to see how much I love him.

I love you. I love you. I love you. I love you.

I keep repeating that thought over and over again, hoping he'll hear it if he decides to listen in on my thoughts. After a few moments of studying my face, he smiles and brings a hand up to my cheek. I take his hand and kiss his palm and his fingers and his wrist as my feet dangle off his lap.

"Gin, it's okay," he whispers as I hold his hand against my lips. He puts his free hand on my thigh. "Stop worrying."

He says that when we just listened to the public return of the Dark Lord on the freaking radio and everyone that I love could potentially be dead.

"You're with me," he says with a smirk, like everything was fine as I furrow my brows worriedly. "You're mine, Ginny. You're golden."

You're golden.

What does that even mean?
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Envy and Manipulations