Harry Potter 1. The Bitter Beginning

**_To Smile Like You Mean It_**

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_slytherinambition_

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Summary: Ginny Weasley never expected a new Professor to turn her life upside down. And what happens when that Professor is supposedly her worst enemy?

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Disclaimer: All these wonderful characters are the creation of J.K. Rowling, and sadly not mine at all. I may introduce a new character every now and then… but you will know considering you would never have heard of them before.

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Author's Note: I posted this story once before on a different account, but never really finished it. So I've decided to repost it, and revised it.

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**And it's you I see, but you don't see me.  
And it's you I hear, so loud and clear.  
I sing it loud and clear.  
And I'll always be waiting for you,. **

So I look in your direction,  
But you pay me no attention,  
And you know how much I need you,  
But you never even seen me.

**-Coldplay**

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**Chapter 1**

_The Bitter Beginning_

Her red curls were pulled back into a loose hair elastic, stubborn strands carelessly escaping and framing her face. Freckles were scattered across the bridge of her nose. Her skin was that of porcelain, clear and pale, even pale enough to be called 'ghostly' at times. She pushed two trunks in front of herself, as a little white kitten trailed behind her, curiosity sniffing it's surroundings. It wouldn't have been truly hard to tell the person was the one and only Ginny Weasley.

In only 10 minutes the train would depart, either with or without her on it. She couldn't help but curse silently as she bumped into random strangers, sending her more and more of course each time. It didn't take her long to track down the familiar barrier, which separated her from the wizarding world.

Ginny took of running slightly, not before scooping the small kitten off from the dirty ground. She gingerly ran through the barrier, revealing Platform 9 and ¾. A bright smile replaced the frustrated one she wore; yet it wasn't until long before the horn sounded. She didn't really feel like getting stuck to fend for herself, and she knew of no magical cars that would take her to Hogwarts if she happened to miss the train.

Ginny stepped onto the train, and quickly placed her luggage where it was designated. She made her way towards the last compartment, and wasn't the least surprised to see two familiar faces staring up at her.

"Ginny!" Tasha Mackenzie shrieked, as she jumped up from where she sat. A bright smile dangled on her lips, as she pushed her bushy blond hair out of her face. She towered over Ginny, though at the time it wasn't that hard to do. Ginny was the dreadful height of only 5"4', so much for inheriting her elder brother's height.

"Tasha!" Ginny said brightly back, as she was swiped into a big hug from her best friend.

Ginny had met Tasha near the end of her fifth year, surprisingly having been in the same year as each other since they came to Hogwarts. They were completely different, yet amazingly, seemed to get along quite fine. Ginny was the one normally trying to lighten her friend up, whereas Tasha tried hard to keep Ginny on her feet, and not drifting away into her own world.

"I haven't seen you for ever, I do hope you have been behaving," Tasha said, eerily reminding Ginny of Hermione Granger.

"Ah, but don't I always," Ginny lied with a knowing smile, before her attention was directed towards the other familiar face in the room. Colin Creevy was staring attentively at the pictures he held out in front of him, and only made a point of directing his attention elsewhere when Ginny snatched them from his grasp.

"Hey Gin," Colin said sweetly, before he too got up and wrapped his arms around his best friend. He had grown since his first few years at Hogwarts, though he still looked very much like Colin himself. He was lanky, with hair still holding it's soft wave, though much longer at the moment.

"Hey, these are very good Colin, where did you manage to snap them?" Ginny asked, as she finally seated herself down next to Tasha, and across from Colin. He blushed slightly as she said so, for he always loved to hear his photos being praised.

"America, you should have seen it Gin, like I was telling Tasha…" Colin began and soon launched into a animated conversation. However, Ginny couldn't seem to hold her attention long enough, as her eyes drifted towards the rushing scenery outside. Tasha and Colin continued to talk, hardly taking into the account that Ginny herself was drifting away from them.

She let her mind drift away from her, to something she didn't want to remember. The past summer, when everything had ended. She had wanted to fight, she had begged for days on end, asking and pleading that they reconsider. She was considered a threat, though even with her demanding they wouldn't let her know. They talked about her, but never would they really let her know. She should have been the one to leave late that night, not him. He had left in hopes to save her, and all that it leaded to was his own death.

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"Ginny," a rushed voice said, as she felt someone softly shake her. Yet, as though it was like any morning, she simply ignored it.

"Gin… wake up, it's urgent," the voice said again, this time shaking her even more so.

She tried to hit the hand away, though she was far too tired to put much effort into it. It wasn't until she forcefully hit her own head on something metal that her eyes shot open. Everything was black, and it didn't help that she had only just woken up either.

"Gin, we need to get out of here, pull on your robe," the voice responded when it realized Ginny was finally awake, and then she realized that it was the voice of Colin.

"What's all the rush about?" Ginny asked, sincerely confused. However, she did nod at his demand, and slowly pull on her robe she must have discarded hours ago. Standing up on her weak legs, she looked around, only being able to make out the shadows of her two friends.

"What's happening?"

"Crash… I think… we can't be too sure. We need to evacuate the train," Tasha responded for her, the girl even loosing her own cool. With one look of confusion from Ginny again, Tasha let out a frustrated sigh. "And by evacuate, I meant now Gin."

"How can this happen, when was the last time the Hogwarts express has just broken down?" Ginny asked, before reluctantly follow them out of their compartment. She didn't get a chance to get her question answered, for they were pushed into a nervous bunch of younger students, and some their own age. Yet, considering there happened to be no light whatsoever, she hardly could tell how many were actually out there.

"I need to go see what's happening, and try to calm everyone down," Tasha called, though she was already far enough away that there was no way for Ginny to catch up. It was then she remembered that her best friend had become Head Girl, just like Hermione Granger had been the year before. No doubt a hard position to fill after Hermione had been in there.

"Meet you later…" Ginny said faintly, but she knew her friend hadn't heard. Not that she really would be able to see.

She glanced behind her shoulder, trying to make out the shadow of Colin. Yet, without much effort put into it, there was no luck at all. "Colin?" She asked, though she wasn't surprised when there happened to be no answer at all.

She felt a soft hand wrap around her wrist, and before she could even utter a word from her lips, she was dragged into the compartment she had only just came from. She couldn't hide the startled look that crossed over her face, though surely it was hidden by the darkness of the room.

"What the bloody hell are you-" She started to say, though soon stopped when she felt a finger on her lips. Normally she would take it as a sigh to get away from a stranger, whom had a hold of her in a dark compartment. Sadly, whomever had hold of her was holding tightly so she couldn't get away.

"Don't speak," the hush voice came from his (yes, it most defiantly was a boy) lips, and she felt a prick of his breathing on her cheek. Her begin a little on the edge was an understatement, but she knew it was better to go along with his demands then fight them. "They're coming."

"Who is coming?" She couldn't help herself but ask.

"You will find out soon enough," he answered, but soon she did. The cold feeling filled her lungs, and her warmness was taken away from her. Dementors? She didn't know how they could possibly be here, and why? For a moment she heard the screaming, and wanted to clamp her hands over her ears. He still held onto her hands, so there was no chance of that.

It was his scream, the one from the final night. The one that constantly haunted her dreams. She could make out the shadows from the crack in the door, and hoped those outside where fine. Thankfully, everything was silent. That could either be a good thing, or bad…

Finally the shadow disappeared, only to have Ginny feel a rush of emotion once more. She fell to her knees, only to take the boy down with her. She felt drained, drained from everything that had been keeping her going. She couldn't even mutter a word of anything to the boy.

"Eat this," he said, before giving her a piece of chocolate. She slipped it into her mouth, and almost instantly she felt the warmth come back into her body. She watched silently as the boy pulled himself off the ground, and with a slight shake of the head went out the door.

She was almost sure she had heard the words "almost fainting just like Potter", though it was probably playing tricks on her. Almost instantly after the black robe of the boy had disappeared, the lights flickered on. She hadn't even seen who the boy had been, or why on earth there were Dementors on the train. She didn't get long to think up the answers when she heard the door swing open once more.

"Ginny!" Tasha yelled, as she knelt down to be level with her friend. "I was so worried…"

"Don't be, I'm fine," she lied. "What happened?" She said, changing the subject completely.

"Dementors, but we still have no idea as to why…" Tasha said, but had a look on her face that said she wished Ginny hadn't changed the topic.

"You don't think…" Ginny asked faintly, pulling her own self off the ground.

"Don't be silly Gin, he couldn't be back,"Tasha sent her best friend a comforting smile, before taking a seat next to Colin.

"Yeah, he's gone Gin, you don't need to worry your pretty little mind about that," Colin said in agreement, before they both changed the subject entirely. Even after their reassuring words, Ginny couldn't help but feel a little worried.

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She was late, and if she missed breakfast it would ruined her whole schedule for the day. It was something that happened to all Weasley family members, and it most likely had something to do with the food her parent's fed them.

As she ran down the now deserted hallway, she tried to button up her blouse. Her skirt had already begun to make her itch, and her knee high socks seemed to fall down to her ankles. Her curls flew in every direction possible, and stubbornly covered her line of vision. Her face held signs of mascara, eye shadow and eyeliner, though it wasn't the least bit heavy.

As she flew around the corner, she collided directly into someone. Two strong arms wrapped around her petite waist, steadying her from falling straight on her arse. She slowly looked up to her savior, only to find the person she had been least expected to have seen at school. Draco Malfoy.

His silver blond hair fell over his eyes, not slicked back as so many years before then. His gray eyes bore into her own chocolate brown ones. He was tall, towering over her as so many others happened to, and not to mention muscular. It was at that moment she realized she was still in his arms, and she briskly stepped back.

"Why are you here?" She spat at him. An amused smile crossed over his lips.

"I see you still are as rude as ever Miss Weasley," he drawled, the famous smirk she knew all to well crossing over his lips.

"I see you have decided to call me something other then Weasel."

"I truly can't do that now, can I?"

"I don't know, you tell me Malfoy," she snapped once again, her temper rising. He of course seemed calm and collected, something that unnerved her to a great extent.

"Now Miss Weasley, I don't think you call many of your teachers by their last name now do you? I expect to hear a Professor at the beginning," he said, his smirk growing bigger.

Ginny's face fell, as she stared speechlessly at her so called Professor. She didn't know how to react, though she was most defiantly appalled at even the idea. How could Draco Malfoy of all people get a job here? She had been more then a little excited that she was to have a Malfoy free year, but here the boy was once again. So much for being able to have some peace in her last year at the school.

"It isn't very nice to stare at your Professors, even though I do know I'm charmingly handsome." He finished it with an cold chuckle, and that only made her realize the man hadn't changed one bit. "I do hope you snap to it, for I do not expect you to be late for my class."

With those words said, and leaving no time for Ginny to respond, he was gone. She could have sworn that was the voice she had heard from the night before, yet when would Draco Malfoy do such a thing as pull her into a dark compartment. Surely he did that with many girls before, many rumors having gone around that said he had done most of the girls at Hogwarts, though she of course was a Weasley.

"Ginny! Come on, we have potions first," came the voice of Tasha, and Ginny reluctantly nodded and followed her friend. So much for getting some breakfast.

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Author's Note: The first chapter is up and done. Feel free to read and review, and reviews will be very sweet of you! I hope you liked it, and don't think I'm going to be letting you know who has died, or who happened to be the person to pull her inside the compartment.


	2. Bloody Pain In My Rear

**_To Smile Like You Mean It_**

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_slytherinambition_

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Summary: Ginny Weasley never expected a new Professor to turn her life upside down. And what happens when that Professor is supposedly her worst enemy?

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Disclaimer: All these wonderful characters are the creation of J.K. Rowling, and sadly not mine at all. I may introduce a new character every now and then… but you will know considering you would never have heard of them before.

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Author's Note: Well, here is chapter two! Heh, got two reviews last time, thanks so much for them! Well, you'll get personal thank you's at the bottom of course! XD

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**Chapter 2**

_Bloody Pain In My Rear_

"Silence," a cold voice drawled, making students turn to see whom they had least expected.

Ginny wondered if the girls were going to jump from their seats and tackle the man, considering their facial expression surely called for that kind of action. She shot Tasha a look, which returned it with a small giggle from herself. However, as soon as Professor Malfoy walked their way, she shut up. School was by far one of the most important things for her, and Tasha was never one to get on the teachers bad side.

"I still don't understand how he managed to snatch the job, and what happened to Professor Snape?" Ginny questioned, ignoring the fact that their professor was nearing them.

"Perhaps he's only filling in for Professor Snape, maybe for a few weeks?" Tasha answered under her breath, glancing nervously towards the approaching teacher.

Ginny ignored the fact that her best friend didn't really want to talk at the moment, and pressed on. "That's not what it sounded like this morning, it was like he was stuck with us the whole year."

"Then maybe he is," Tasha said, glancing nervously over her shoulder once more. She's being very paranoid about the whole thing in Ginny's opinion.

"I never thought I would see the day that Professor Snape retired," Colin sounded, who sat on the other side of Ginny.

"Maybe he retired after Harry left, you know how much he loved to pick on the boy," Tasha answered with a bright smile, not noticing Ginny's descending one. Ginny felt as though her heart was stabbed with daggers at the sound of the boy's name. His name brought up far too many memories for her liking.

"Did I or did I not say silence?" Draco asked from behind Tasha, making her straighten up at the words.

"You… yes… yes you did Professor…" Tasha began, stumbling over her words. Ginny felt sorry for the girl, because Tasha was the last person to actually have experience with these sorts of situations. Rarely did she actually speak up in class if it hadn't to do with answering a question, and never did she actually get in trouble.

"Do you normally listen to your Professors, or do you carelessly talk when they demand that you do not?" He said, pressing the subject even if the girl was practically wetting her pants with fright. That didn't stop him from glaring down at her with force.

"Yes…yes I do… Professor," Tasha finally managed to utter, the words coming out faintly and in a mere whisper.

"Then I wonder exactly why you feel the need to go against the things that I say, when I too am most defiantly your Professor," he barked, the words passing from his lips as though he was a snake biting into his victim.

"She's sorry, and it wasn't entirely her fault," Ginny finally spoke up for her best friend, glaring at the Professor before them. Tasha was practically shaking because he wouldn't just accept that she wouldn't do it again, and it wasn't that unnoticeable that the girl was scared.

"So you are taking the blame for your dear friend Miss Weasley?" He asked, raising an eyebrow in pure amusement, dropping his attention on the redhead for the moment.

Tasha opened her mouth to protest, knowing that a Malfoy getting on the nerves of a Weasley was never a good thing. Most defiantly when the said Malfoy happened to be a Professor, and the Weasley with a temper that easily flared. However, she was cut off by Ginny before she could even speak.

"Yes, that's right, I am purely the one to blame," Ginny said bitterly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Then you would find it suitable for you, and solely you, to receive detention for your rude and uncalled for actions towards a professor?" He too crossed his arms over his chest, waiting with impatience for her to reply. She was holding up the whole entire lesson, and he was beginning to get frustrated with the girl.

"I don't exactly have a choice now do I?" She snapped, letting out a frustrated sigh. She glanced towards Tasha, giving her a look that said you-totally-owe-me. She had to spend a whole entire detention with this man because she stuck up for her friend, but she wasn't about to back down now.

"No, you do not have a choice," he said with a cold laugh, before he swiftly began making his way back towards the front of the classroom. "I shall set up a time, and I expect you not to be late Miss Weasley. I will not have you wasting anymore of my time, in or outside of class."

Most of the Slytherins let out hushed laughs, grinning up at their new Professor. Well, at least he had someone to admire him. There was no way Gryffindors were going to be treated equally this year, and it would be the Slytherins who were favored as it had been every year since she had started to attend Hogwarts.

"Now, without any other interruptions," Draco Malfoy said, taking a glance towards Ginny, signaling that she was the interruption he was talking about. "On to today's lesson."

"Bloody Malfoy," Ginny muttered under her breath, before taking out a quill and a piece of parchement. The rest of the lesson passed in a daze, mostly because it was painfully boring. Notes were taken, and silence was made. Ginny jumped from her seat at the sound of the bell, ready to get away from the class which she would more then likely come to hate.

"Ah, Miss Weasley, I would like to see you before you head onto your next class," Draco said as he sat silently at his desk. He nodded for her to come to him, not feeling the need to move himself.

She quickly picked up her belongings and shoved them roughly into her bag. She waited until the room was empty, and the path towards Draco's desk clear, then she made her way towards the man. She could see his arrogant look from all the way from the back of the class. Finally she stopped when she felt she was close enough.

"Yes?" She asked him, trying hard to make her tone of voice nothing more then expressionless. She took no notice to his nod for her to sit down in the seat in front of him, and continued to stand. There was no way she was going to start to get comfortable, because she didn't want to spend one more minute in this class then she had to. Standing was completely fine to her at the moment.

"Sit Miss Weasley," Draco said, keeping his voice calm and not yet raising it.

"No, standing is perfectly fine Professor," Ginny said firmly.

"Sit down."

"No, I'll stand."

"I demand that you sit down!" He shouted, startling Ginny slightly. She merely nodded, and sat down in front of him. She waited in silence a few moments, as her Professor flipped through papers, and continued to ignore her. She knew she was already late for her next class, and there was no way her professor there would be too happy with it.

"Professor?" Ginny finally asked, and Draco raised his eyes off the papers in front of himself and shifted his gaze towards her. Finally capturing his full attention, she pressed on, "I don't mean to be pushy, but I do have class to attend to…"

"I am well aware of that Miss Weasley," Draco said, before shifting his gaze back down onto the papers on his desk. She let out a soft sigh, feeling as though she hadn't even got threw to him in the least. However, before she could open her mouth, her professor looked up at her once again. "It isn't very kind to waste someone's time, now is it Miss Weasley?" He asked.

"If your talking about the incident in class-" She started, but no sooner was she cut off by him once more.

"Yes, this is about the incident in class. What else would it have been about?" He asked once again, before leaning back into his chair, waiting for her to answer.

"As I was saying," she said, pausing slightly to send him an annoyed look before proceeding. "I don't really understand how I wasted your time in class? I mean, it wasn't as though I was talking during a lecture. I was only talking when you were making your way towards the front of the class."

"Miss Weasley, did I or did I not ask for silence?" He questioned, his voice losing all its joking tone. He was completely serious.

"Yes you did professor," she finally said, not wanting to fight with him any longer. She wasn't going to win at all, being the fact that he had the last call, for he was a teacher now. She also was very late for her next class, and didn't feel like getting another detention for that as well.

"I shall see you on Friday, one hour after dinner in my office. And don't expect me to go lightly on you Miss Weasley." He finally said, before looking down at the papers in front of him. Ginny looked at him, wondering if she should simply nod and get up, or wait until he allowed her to leave.

"Good day Miss Weasley," Draco said once again, nodding towards the door. A weak smile replaced the cold frown she held, and she jumped up from her seat and proceeded towards the door. Without a look back or another word, she left the classroom.

She knew she was late, and her next class was that of DADA. She didn't even know who was the new teacher that year, seeing as how each year they happened to have a different one. She began to quickly run down the corridors, and finally came to the door she had come to so many times before. Opening it silently, she walked into the room.

She caught sight of Tasha, whom eagerly waved at Ginny to sit down in the vacant seat next to her. Ginny waved back, and began walking towards the girl. She stopped still at whom she saw behind the teacher's desk, and it wouldn't have been a lie to say her mouth practically hung open.

"Miss Weasley, how kind of you to join us," his voice drawled, a wicked grin coming to his lips. It nearly sent shivers down her spine, and she couldn't even say anything to his comment. She tried to tell herself to explain that it was all Draco Malfoy's fault, but she knew the professor probably wouldn't care in the least. "Please take your seat before you interrupt any more of the class."

"Yes professor," Ginny said weakly, before finally making her way towards the seat next to Tasha. She sat down and leaned back into the chair, as though she was exhausted from classes already. She could almost tell the whole school year was going to be a long and not to mention a hard one.

"Well, most of you already know who I happen to be," the professor began, before pulling himself off the chair behind his desk, and walk around it. "For all those that don't know who I am," he paused slightly for effect, allowing his smirk to once again come onto his lips. "I am Blaise Zabini, and I am currently filling in as the professor for Defense Against The Dark Arts this year."

"Now let's begin, shall we?" And with that said, the lesson began. The rest of the day went by in a blur, and before Ginny knew it, it was time for bed. However, she wasn't one to go to sleep, and not only because she dreaded going to class the next day.

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Author's Note: Well, the next few chapters will speed up the time a touch, being that it would take me forever if the time continued this way! So, Blaise Zabini and Draco Malfoy happen to have been teachers, both having deeper reasons behind it all. XD

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_**!Thank you!**_

**CuriousAngel: **Thanks for the review! I'm really glad you are enjoying it, and I'll promise to update soon.

**Jennifer: **Thanks so much for your review! I hope you enjoyed this chapter like you liked the last, and I'm so happy that I could get you hooked on the story. XD


	3. Getting Down And Dirty

_**To Smile Like You Mean It**_

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_slytherinambition_

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Summary: Ginny Weasley never expected a new Professor to turn her life upside down. And what happens when that Professor is supposedly her worst enemy?

…

Disclaimer: All these wonderful characters are the creation of J.K. Rowling, and sadly not mine at all. I may introduce a new character every now and then… but you will know considering you would never have heard of them before.

…

Author's Note: Here's the third chapter, and I'm so happy about getting more reviews! Thanks so much, and enjoy the chapter! More reviews would be awesome!

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**And finally the silence**

**Looking out, looking back across the sky**

**Trying to find a meaning**

**Knowing I just left it all behind**

**Still I smell a lingering softness**

**Where did she go…**

**-Ben Jelen**

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**Chapter 3**

_Getting Down And Dirty_

Finally the day had come, the day that Ginny would be spending detention with her least favorite person. She silently ate dinner, nodding every now and then during Tasha's and Colin's conversation. She had her mind elsewhere, onto what her faith would be on that very night. She felt the seconds melting away, faster then normal, and soon she found that she was making her way down towards the dungeons.

Moments earlier she had said goodbye to her friends, and they had wished her luck. She knew that she would need it, considering this was Draco Malfoy. Although he was now a professor, it didn't change his personality any. The whole week had gone by slowly, Gryffindors losing many points while the Slytherins seemed to be advancing as she had suspected.

Ginny pushed open the door, and instantly her eyes found their way to her professor. She silently walked in, closing the door behind herself, and made her way down towards him. Without being asked, she gingerly sat down in the seat next to him. She didn't feel the need to start a fight once more.

As same as the meeting her first day in class, Draco hardly acknowledged the fact that she had even entered. His eyes were once again glued to the sheets in front of himself, and she took that time to look around at the dingy place. Ginny felt the place could use makeover, though in a few moments she would be wishing she could have taken that back.

"Your 10 minutes late," he finally said, breaking the silence. He looked up from the papers he was grading, and gently set his quill down.

"10 minutes?" Ginny asked, forgetting for a moment that this was her professor she was taking to, and not only the bloody idiot Malfoy. She quickly added, "I must have lost track of time."

"I told you that I expected you to come on time, yet it seems you are even incapable of such things," he said lazily, before slowly shuffling the papers around on his desk. "First, I ask that you go and make sure all the desks are proper and nothing is stuck underneath the seats."

She stared in disbelief at the man, her eyes widening. "You expect me to go check if some student has left something grubby under their desks?" She asked, looking completely baffled.

"Yes, do you honestly expect me to do something of that sort Miss Weasley?" Draco asked with a slight chuckle, a cruel smirk coming to his lips. She hadn't expected him to actual make her do such a thing, yet at least she wasn't scrubbing the floor. As if he had heard her thoughts, he then demanded, "After you complete that task, you will clean the floor only using a sponge and a bucket of soap.

"All this because I spoke in your class?" She asked him in disbelief, only to receive another cold laugh from the man. Truthfully, she felt the need to cut his head off and use it to clean the floor. A smile came to her lips as she thought of such things, though it went unnoticed by her professor.

He let out a theatrical sigh. "Must we go through the argument we had in class?" Ginny instantly shook her head at his question, not feeling the need to land another dreadful detention with the man if she happened to lash out on him. "Very well, hurry along now," Draco said, before going back to his paperwork.

"What do I clean with?" Ginny asked, for there would be no way she was going to use her own bloody hands to touch such things. The desks probably weren't very decent, considering all students from ages 11 to 18 happened to sit in them all day long. She didn't even know when the last time they actually had been cleaned.

Without looking, Draco conjured up a bucket of water, pair of gloves and a dishtowel from out of nowhere. She silently nodded her thanks to the man, before slipping on the gloves and picking up the bucket along with the towel. She had her work cut out for her, and only began to realize it when she began to tackle the first desk.

"Tasha, you are going to pay for this," Ginny mumbled under her breath, hardly knowing how long she had been at. She finally managed to get to her last and final desk, and she was thankful for it. Even if this was a detention, there could be magic used to get ride of those things.

Draco Malfoy had finished his grading long before she had been done, and sat back into his chair. His eyes drifted towards the girl, an insensitive smirk on his lips. This was something he had only wished for, to actually be allowed to boss around a Weasley and make them do whatever, with no questions asked. He knew that Ginny truthfully wasn't the only to have been blamed for the incident in class, but when would he have backed down at a chance like this? However, it truthfully wasn't all it was cut out to be, though he wasn't about to admit such things, even subconsciously.

"I'm done the desks professor, surely they are up to your standards," Ginny said sarcastically as she neared her professors desk, quickly pulling off her wet gloves.

"Onto the floor then," Draco said, nodding towards the floor. It was filthy; scuff marks from student's shoes practically covering it entirely. It would seem as though the floor hadn't been washed in ages, and it was just Ginny's luck that she would be the one to clean it.

"What are you waiting for?" He questioned after he noticed she hadn't moved along yet and happened to be staring down with disgust at the floor.

"Are you taking a good look at the floor?" She asked him, roughly pointing her finger down towards it. He merely nodded at her comment. "And you're making me clean it?" She asked once more, and he looked up at her with annoyance.

"Must I repeat myself Miss Weasley?" He asked, clearly angry with her at the moment.

"Now, Draco, do you really think that a girl should do such a job as clean a filthy floor?" A deep voice came from the doorway, making both Ginny and Draco whip their attention towards the source of the voice. Blaise Zabini stood by the door, a smirk that could very well go against Draco's any day.

He made his way towards them, each step echoing in the silent room. "Good evening Miss Weasley," Blaise said charmingly, his smirk lightening slightly at the sight of the girl. He turned his gaze swiftly towards Draco, and it was replaced with yet again the signature smirk. "Good evening to you as well Draco."

"I do hope he isn't being hard on you dear," Blaise said warmly, before gracefully falling down into the vacant seat in front of Draco's desk. Ginny instantly felt uncomfortable, as she stood behind both of them, balancing the pale of bucket in one of her hands. She didn't know if she should simply try and tackle the floors, or wait until Draco requested her to do so. Her answered came soon enough.

"You may depart Miss Weasley, you have completed all that is required," Draco said, and she swore she could hear hesitation in his voice. However, she didn't feel the need to stick around to find out. She nodded silently, before carefully placing the bucket, gloves and cloth on the desk.

She weakly smiled at Draco. "Good night professor Malfoy," she said coldly, before turning to Blaise. "Good night professor Zabini." Blaise gave her a small wink, which made her instantly flush at the cheeks, before she quickly left the room.

Blaise watched the girl walk out, his eyes never leaving her back until she was gone from his sight. He then turned back to face Draco. "Why, I didn't mean to force her to leave so soon," he said calmly, before leaning back into his chair.

"She is a young girl Blaise," Draco said firmly, a scowl coming across his lips. It seemed as though the two were growing further apart as the years passed, being that they used to be incredibly close to one another. However, as time had changed, the both of them had as well.

Blaise grinned widely at his fellow professor. "Ah yes, but a young girl that has grown up very much since the last time I had seen her." Draco let out a cold bark of laughter, not believing what was coming out of his friend's mouth. It was obvious the girl had grown, and that she was much more attractive then in her first few years, but that didn't change the fact of who she happened to be.

"Blaise, she's a Weasley and filthy poor," Draco argued, his scowl deepened ever so slightly.

Blaise let out a cold chuckle as well; only moments after Draco uttered his comment. "The last name changes once you marry, and the status of her wealth would all be taken care of once she wed someone with as much wealth as me," he arrogantly said.

"She is a student," Draco finally said, not able to change the fact that Blaise's previous statement was completely true. Those things could change, the last name most defiantly, but that still didn't change the fact that she was a muggleloving freak, whom he had learnt to loath over many years with her and her brother.

Blaise let another laugh come from his lips. "Yes, she is a student. But really Draco, she is only a year younger then ourselves."

Draco pushed himself out of his seat, as he glared down towards his friend. "Stay away from her," he demanded.

"Why?" Blaise asked, getting up from his seat as well. No longer did Draco tower over him, for they stood at nearly the same height. "I think you should be more concerned about yourself getting to close with the girl." With that said, he quickly turned around and made his way for the door.

"Draco," he said over his shoulder with a slight pause. "When have I actually listened to one of your demands?" Then Blaise was gone.

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Author's Note: Finally, chapter three is up and done! Blaise and Draco haven't developed feelings for Ginny yet, most defiantly not Draco, but they both have their own reasons as to why they want to get close with her… though that's all I'm telling you for now!

_**!Thank You!**_

**Alana-Lou:** Thanks so much for your review, and I'm happy that you like this draco fanfic.

**Analisa:** Thanks for your comment, and yeah, I didn't really want to make Draco go soft right from the beginning! XD I love the tension between them.

**Ella: **Aw, thanks for taking the time to review. I'm so glad you like the plot and think it's interesting.

**SAngel:** Thanks, and I'll try hard to keep updating.

**Jennifer: **It's good to hear you still like it, and are still reading it!

**Ehlonna: **Thanks for your long review! I absolutely love when people write long ones. It will be either Draco/Ginny or Blaise/Ginny that will end up together, but I'm not going to give that away just yet! In later chapters you will find out the reasons as to why Blaise and Draco got jobs at Hogwarts, both for different reasons. I can't say who died yet! You'll just need to wait and find out!

**CuriousAngel: **Thanks for another review! I'm happy that I was able to surprise you with who the teacher was. Thanks for your comments, and I'll update more as soon as I can!


	4. Falling Out Of Thin Air

**_To Smile Like You Mean It_**

…

…

_slytherinambition_

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Summary: Ginny Weasley never expected a new Professor to turn her life upside down. And what happens when that Professor is supposedly her worst enemy?

…

Disclaimer: All these wonderful characters are the creation of J.K. Rowling, and sadly not mine at all. I may introduce a new character every now and then… but you will know considering you would never have heard of them before.

…

Author's Note: I took a little more time getting this chapter up, sorry about that! But, sadly spring break is finished for me, and I am back to school…. XD

…

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**The dawn is breaking  
A light shining through  
You're barely waking  
And I'm tangled up in you  
Yeah **

I'm open, you're closed  
Where I follow, you'll go  
I worry I won't see your face  
Light up again

Even the best fall down sometimes  
Even the wrong words seem to rhyme  
Out of the doubt that fills my mind  
I somehow find  
You and I collide

**-Howie Day**

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_Chapter 4_

**Falling Out Of Thin Air**

"We can win this thing!" Bobby Marks, the new Gyrffindor captain, cried to his teammates. The Quidditch season had started, and it was the moment of the first official game. "Are we ready?" He shouted once more, only to be followed by loud hoots and hollers. A smile came to his face, though he wasn't entirely full of confidence.

The team was missing their star player that year, that being Harry Potter himself. It was rare that they had lost a game with the famous Harry Potter on their team. Seeing as he had played seeker, it had been Ginny Weasley who had been required to replace the boy.

"Gin," Bobby said softly as the rest of the team went to get ready, pulling her aside. He looked at her with an encouraging smile, though it didn't help the nerves in her stomach in the least. It was hard to replace someone such as Harry, being that he was one of the best seekers in Hogwarts. She however didn't want to let her team down, though she didn't know how she could manage not to.

"You're going to be great," he said softly, before pulling her into a hug. She knew it was probably more for himself then anything, perhaps to calm down his own nerves. When they pulled away from each other, it was her turn to give him a comforting smile.

"Thanks Bobby, I'll try and make you proud," her voice was trying it's best to stay calm and light. However, she could almost feel her heart pound in her chest. The last thing she wanted to do was allow Slytherin to win, being that was the very team they were playing against.

"No," he said with a slight pause, before adding, "You will make me proud, no matter what Gin."

With another nod, he left her be for the moment. She dropped down on one of the benches in their locker room, trying hard to calm herself down. It didn't help that she was running low in the sleep department, for the past few days she had reoccurring nightmares. However, in truth it was only a little more then normal, for it wasn't rare when she did receive nightmares.

"Time to go and kick some arse Weasley," one of her fellow teammates sounded from the doorway, waving for her to follow. Ginny got up from where she sat, and grabbed hold of her broom. It was a Firebolt, one of the things Harry had given her after he had left school. She held it carefully, hoping that it might still hold some magic for her, as it seemed to have for Harry.

She finally found her way to her team, and lined up along side them. Bobby Marks gave everyone one last smile before taking off with his broom. Each teammate followed suit, getting onto their brooms and flying out onto the pitch. Ginny's red hair flew softly behind her as she came out, and her gaze drifted towards the stands.

The house colors waved in the wind, and the yells of her fellow students came to her ears. Everyone in the school happened to be there that day, though who wouldn't want to see who won out of Slytherin and Gryffindor? Slytherin cheered only for their own house, as did Gryffindor, though there happened to be a mix between Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws.

"I want a nice and clean game," Madame Hooch's voice finally sounded as she walked onto the field. The box for Quidditch was held under her arm, and she dropped it in the center of the field. She held her whistle up to her mouth, and with one kick at the box, she blew into it. The blugers soared into the air, as did the golden snitch., and with one toss so did the quaffle. Ginny's eyes darted to the little thing, as it swerved towards the ground.

Without hesitating, she began to fly straight for it, the wind nipping at her face. She dove down, trying hard to keep her focus on the little thing. Before she knew it the Slytherin seeker, Gordy Mills, was at her heel. She sped up, not caring that the ground was slowly coming closer and closer.

Finally, the golden snitch changed directions, heading straight up and towards the sky. Ginny quickly jerked her broom up, yet it seemed as though Gordy hadn't been so lucky. The poor boy was caught off guard, and slammed into the ground. Ginny knew she couldn't simply stop and see if he were fine, for she would surely loose sight of the thing.

She went higher and higher, yet when she was only inches away from grabbing the snitch, her broom began to jerk. It jerked back and forth, sending her straight over the edge. She was far too high to hear the crowd gasp, but if she were a little lower she surely would have. She stuck out a hand and grabbed hold of the broom, her feet dangling off. She wasn't going to let herself plunge all that way down onto the ground.

Yet, it seemed as the broom had different ideas on it's own. It began to shake fiercely, as Ginny felt each of her fingers slowly loose their grip. One by one, each finger began to fall, until she only held the broom with one. She tried to yell for help, but only did she let go of the broom all together. She began to fall, coming closer and closer to the ground.

From the height she fell at, it was likely she would end up with more then a few bruises and cuts. She knew that it was possible for her to even end up in St. Mungo's. She couldn't think about even going there, not when he had died in that very place. She had sat by his bed day in and day out, only to pray that he would wake. However, he never had…

She could feel the ground, and closed her eyes. She was ready to hit it, made an indent in the ground. Yet, nothing came of it. She could feel two arms break her fall, and wrapping around her weak body. She wanted to open her eyes, to thank whom ever saved her, yet she fainted.

The man looked at the girl with concern, and began to slowly walk across the field. He would bring her to the Hospital Wing before he went to have a talk with the Headmaster. He brushed the hair out of the girls place, and silently sang,

"Close your precious eyes, and know an angel will watch over you. Know I am here, forever and always. My kiss will soothe your pain and my touch will make you warm. May you be warm, and may you be painless. Close your precious eyes, and know an angel will watch over you. Know I am here, forever and always."

It had been the song his own mother had sung to him every time he fell down, and every time she tried to pick him up.

………………………………………………………..

"Are you, or are you not her protector?" The Headmaster sat behind his desk, as he surveyed the man before himself. The old man had missed the game, and had been unable to be there to see what would have cost the girls life if they hadn't been careful.

"Yes sir," the deep voice of the man in front of him said.

"How do you figure this happened?" The headmaster said, as he sat calmly behind his desk. His beard was white as snow, and he looked to be fairly old. However, there happened to be a sparkle still in his eyes.

"Someone must have done a spell on the broom, for it wasn't simply something a little glitch of the broom could have done," the man sounded as he sat in the chair in front of the Headmaster.

"Very true," Dumbledore said in agreement. "Would you like a muggle candy?" He asked the man as he pushed a jar of candy towards him, going off topic for a moment.

"No thank you," the man said firmly.

"Well, your loss my son," he said with a small chuckle. "You may leave now, and we shall discuss this matter more clearly in a few days?"

The man merely nodded, before standing up and making his way out. He was the girl's protector, but so far, he hadn't been doing that great of a job of it.

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Author's Note: Well, this chapter didn't have as much dialogue, but I couldn't really put much in considering it was a Quidditch game. More to come of course! And everyone seems to be wondering where Snape is….. well, guess you will just need to wait and find out!

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_**!Thank You!**_

**Ehlonna: **Heh… yes, Blaise seems somewhat evil, but I'm not going to say if he is or not. He actually may be the good guy, who knows? XD

**Softball-Rocks:** Awww, thanks for putting it on your favorites list! And thanks for your review, I'm glad you like the story so far.

**Embellished: **Thanks for the comment!

**mz.sammiz: **Thanks for the review, and I'm glad you like it so far!

**ArcticAngelzTx: **Well, don't worry, in the later chapters, you will find out what has happened to the old potions master! Thanks for your reviews, and I'll update soon.


	5. The Aftermath

**_To Smile Like You Mean It_**

…

…

_slytherinambition_

…

…

Summary: Ginny Weasley never expected a new Professor to turn her life upside down. And what happens when that Professor is supposedly her worst enemy?

…

Disclaimer: All these wonderful characters are the creation of J.K. Rowling, and sadly not mine at all. I may introduce a new character every now and then… but you will know considering you would never have heard of them before.

…

Author's Note: Wow, thanks for everyone who reviewed, you guys are truly awesome! Finally done with the fifth chapter of the story! Enjoy!

…

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**I'm not a perfect person  
There's many things I wish I didn't do  
But I continue learning  
I never meant to do those things to you  
And so I have to say before I go  
That I just want you to know **

I've found a reason for me  
To change who I used to be  
A reason to start over new  
and the reason is you

** -Hoobastank**

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**Chapter 5**

_The Aftermath_

"What would have happened if she hit the ground?"

"She probably wouldn't have been here."

"Really…"

"Yeah, I read that if she were to have actually hit the ground, the impact would have seriously hurt her."

"Then it's good she was caught?"

"Indeed."

Ginny smiled as she heard the voices in the background, only ones that could belonged to Colin and Tasha. She opened her eyes, weak as she was, but it felt good to finally be able to see once more. Her head throbbed with pain as she saw how light the room was, only making her squint at the brightness. She slowly turned her head to see both Tasha and Colin sitting in chairs opposite her, still not seeing that she was awake.

"Hey guys," Ginny said with much effort, and both sets of eyes quickly moved towards her. Tasha's face instantly brightened, as did Colin's. Tasha jumped up from her seat, and threw her hands around Ginny's neck, not realizing the pain it caused her friend. "Masy, you're hurting me," Ginny's words were slightly shaky, and the girl instantly broke her grasp.

"I'm so sorry Gin! I'm just so happy that you're ok," Tasha said, before she burst into tears. Ginny wanted to comfort her friend, though she couldn't move her own arm without aching with pain. Colin took it upon himself to sling an arm over her friend's shoulder.

"It's good to see that your awake Gin," Colin said, grinning at his best friend. His cheeks were the slight tinge of red, mostly for the fact that he was holding Tasha at the moment. Ginny was convinced that the boy liked Tasha, though it seemed he was slow on the up taking.

She grinned back at him. "What happened, I don't even remember…" Ginny asked the both of them with curiosity. She hardly remembered the start of the game, considering the fact that she was very nervous then. The start of the game was a blur, and what had happened after she fell was a complete mystery to her.

"You fell from your broom, and we thought you were going to surely hurt yourself," Tasha cleared up, another look of concern flashing over her face. Ginny hated to have worried her friends to such an extent, one of the main reasons she kept most of her pain hidden inside. This situation was only another stab in the heart for Ginny.

"Luckily, you were caught before you hit the ground," Colin finished for her, before dropping his arm from around Tasha's shoulders. Ginny pushed herself up a touch, so her body was leaning against the cold bed frame, wincing while doing so.

"Who caught me?" Ginny questioned, not having the slightest clue.

"It was-" Masy started, but was soon caught off by the cry of Ginny's name. Ginny looked up to find Madame Pomfrey standing with a bright smile on her face, and a potion in the women's hand. Before Ginny could even demand to find out who had caught her, Madame Pomfrey had ushered both Tasha and Colin out.

"Bye Ginny!" Both cried in unison before quickly running from the hands of Madame Pomfrey.

"I'll talk to you guys later," Ginny said softly, not able to wave her hand much more then a few times before dropping it down on her bed. She watched as Madame Pomfrey made her way over to her bedside, and placed the potion on the counter beside it. "Will I regain my strength?" Ginny asked.

"Of course you will my dear, a few of these potions and you'll be as good as new," she said cheerfully, and handed the potion to Ginny. Ginny looked at it with curiosity, before she placed it to her lips and drank the thing. It tasted far worse then dirty old socks probably would in her opinion.

"That is disgusting," Ginny commented bluntly after she finished it all, and tossed the empty bottle back to the nurse. Madame Pomfrey simply pursed her lips, and left without another word. Ginny couldn't help herself with that comment, for it was purely the truth.

After a few more days in the Hospital Wing, countless visits from her friends and teammates, and a few more potions, she was free to go. Being that it was far past curfew, Madame Pomfrey made Ginny promise to head back to her house Common Room right away. Ginny plainly promised, though that wasn't her intentions whatsoever.

She walked silently down the hall, glad to finally have all her strength once again. She knew exactly where she was heading, and her feet slowly took her. She pushed open the entrance doors open, the wind rushing to her skin. Looking over her shoulder, she saw that no professors were anywhere. Quickly she crossed the field, and made her way towards the lake.

She softly landed in the grass by the lake, letting off a soft sigh as she dipped her feet into the water in front of her. Only moments after having been sitting there, the silence was broken by the sound of footsteps. Ginny quickly looked behind herself, only to see her professor standing there with a smug look on his face.

"Shouldn't you be in bed?" He asked, but she merely ignored him and decided to direct her attention onto the moon in front of herself. He however didn't take that as a clue, and let out a sigh to get her attention once more. "I asked you a question."

"I could ask you the same thing," Ginny said, but realized only moments later that it was painfully stupid of her to say it. She let out a soft sigh as she heard his chuckle from behind her.

"I was walking to see if I could find any idiotic students such as yourself that would wonder after curfew." He said flatly, before adding, "Now I asked you a question, shouldn't you be in bed?"

"And you know the answer," Ginny finally said, snapping her head to glare at the man. He was really only a year older then herself, but he was acting as though he was so much older and wiser. "If you want the answers, yes I am suppose to be in bed, but currently I'm not."

Draco sat down beside her, and when his shoes were slipped off, he slipped his feet into the cold water as well. He didn't ask her anything else, and it was clear that she was getting frustrated by it. She fidgeted around a sort while, the sound of the water splashing only proving it. "Yes Miss Weasley?" He finally asked, tilting his head to look at her.

"What are you doing?" She hissed at him.

"Well, if you aren't going to go to bed, then I'm supervising you," he stated.

"I'm old enough to take care of myself," she said in frustration, her cheeks blazing red that he had even thought of saying that.

He let out a cold laugh, which made Ginny's skin prickle. "Able to take care of yourself?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "Well, I wouldn't say that almost dying from falling of your broom as being able to take care of yourself."

She wanted to snap a smart comment back at him, though what he said was completely true. She opened and closed her mouth for a few moments, trying to come up with something. However, nothing seemed to come to mind, and she simply pulled her eyes off him and onto the water in front of herself.

"How did you even manage to get a job here?" She asked finally, expecting him to be a little set back. However, that wasn't entirely the case, for he simply let out another cold laugh.

"Ah, I thought it was noticeable Miss Weasley. I am brilliant smart, and not to mention I was the best choice with whom would have replaced Professor Snape this year."

"You are bloody vain," she muttered under her breath, before pulling herself up from where she sat. She roughly pulled on her shoes, and began to walk back towards the castle. She should have taken Madame Promfrey's request, and had gone straight back to her house.

As the wind blew and she made her way back towards the steps of Hogwarts, she heard a faint, "Good night Miss Weasley." She simply chose to ignore it.

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Author's Note: There is the fifth chapter! A little more Draco and Ginny action. It seems everyone wants to know where Professor Snape is, but I'm afraid you will only just need to wait until he is finally revealed! XD Reviews would be once more appreciated.

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_**!Thank You!**_

**The-shadowed-one:** Thanks for your review, and I'm so glad you like it so far!

**TrippyGirl20051: **Thanks so much for taking the time to review, and I'm glad you are enjoying it.

**Dreamy-crazygirl: **Yay, I love long reviews! Thanks so much for taking the time to do one. I would absolutely love to answer your questions, but where is the fun in that! Yeah, I'm not trying to make Draco and Ginny's relationship so cute-cute, at least not yet, there will be some to come… but when their relationship is somewhat developed. I'll try hard to make the next chapters come quickly, but I can't give away the answers!

**Embellished: **XD You are right, there is no point, but why would I want to give that away! Just keep reading, and it will surely be revealed.

**CuriousAngel: **Thanks so much for reviewing again! Heh… I love putting in cliffhangers, it keeps peoples attention, but don't worry, you will find out all the answers sooner or later…

**a.sam: **XD Thanks for reviewing! Hmm…. Maybe it's Draco, maybe it's not, I'm not telling! You will just need to wait and find out!

**Softball-Rocks: **Thanks for reviewing again, and I'm glad you liked it!

**Demented Furiae: **Heh… Thanks for reviewing, and I'm sorry but my lips are sealed. You will just need to read and find out!


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Harry Potter, Romance