Harry Potter 1. Defenders

Singing to the Darkness

Asher Nemesis

__

I own the darkness

And I own the light

But yet I am trapped here

Between the day and the night.

I am willing to lose myself

But have nothing to gain

The darkness flows through me

And so dies the pain.

Now no more tears fall

I am under the night's control

I am nothing to anyone

I gave away my soul.

__

Chapter One-Defenders

She had that feeling again. All her senses were going crazy, and her body and mind were tuned in to the darkness, watching for it, waiting for it. She could sense things other people couldn't. She seemed to have a connection with Dark Magic, and she knew when it was around. The feeling she got was like someone dropping a lead weight down into the pit of her stomach, and all happy thoughts she might've been having were suddenly erased, but Ginny Weasley had learned to fight it and win. 

Her most unlikely friend taught how she fought to her; a Slytherin 6th year named Draco Malfoy, Prince of Purebloods, as he was called by most of his house. He had taught her the fine art of the mental Patronus Charm. He had honed her mental skills and awareness, producing a Patronus Charm Ginny could conjure up mentally. 

A mental Patronus Charm works just like a regular one, except nobody can see it unless they've learned how to do one themselves. It is summoned the same way as well, thinking of the happiest memory possible and then saying the incantation, Expecto Patronum.

Everyone had a unique Patronus, suited only to him or her. Ginny's was a red fox, while Draco's was, obviously, a dragon, a Hebridean Black, to be exact. A very pretty 7th year named Cho Chang had a Patronus that was a swan. Hermione's was an otter, while Harry's was a stag. 

The entire Gryffindor common room was asleep, except for her older brother Ron, his best friend Harry Potter and his girlfriend Hermione Granger.

Ginny Weasley never felt like she belonged. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had this close knit circle of friendship, and it seemed to Ginny that no one else could enter no matter what. She felt lonely, although even her older brother didn't realise it. She was very good at acting happy. And, she probably would've become depressed if it weren't for Draco and his mental DADA lessons. 

Everyone who had ever felt Dark Magic was a part of it. It bound itself to the person the moment it touched them, changing them forever. People this happened to gained extraordinary mental powers, usually extrasensory perception, telepathy, or telekinesis. Ginny and Draco suspected that telepathy was the most common, and everyone gained the ability of ESP. According to them, that explained the weird feelings.

Ginny's encounter with the Dark Arts happened when she was eleven. Now, four years later, she was all the better for it and gained much from the experience, including a friend.

Slytherins and Gryffindors were usually mortal enemies, but ever since Draco and Ginny became friends and started visiting each other's common rooms for lessons, the tension between the two houses seemed to ease a little.

Not that Ginny had enjoyed spending an hour with Draco in a cold, damp, dungeon that served as the Slytherin common room. It was miserable down there, and one was likely to catch a chill, despite the fire in the fireplace. Ginny often wondered why someone as vain as Draco actually wanted to be put in Slytherin when the dungeons seemed to be hell on a person's complexion. Not that Draco had even been affected by that. His complexion was perfect.

But then Ginny noticed how enthusiastic he was when she invited him to her common room for lessons. It was no wonder, as the Gryffindor common room was the exact opposite of Draco's, with its large comfy chairs, fireplace that actually gave off warmth, and all around friendly atmosphere.

Well, friendly to everyone but Slytherins. Draco was greeted with a collective glare from the entire house, excluding Ginny. Even Ron, Harry and Hermione all disliked Draco, and refused to see his less evil attitude. Well, he was only a barely noticeable amount less evil. He still snapped, insulted and was an utter prat and a racist git to everyone but Ginny. But he was a _totally wicked hot_ utter prat and racist git…not that Ginny had ever actually thought that…much.

Ginny looked over to Harry Potter, with his jet-black untidy hair, deep emerald eyes, and the lightning bolt scar that graced the forehead of The Boy Who Lived, and realised Hermione's attraction. Ginny had just recently gotten over her 'little' crush on Harry. It wasn't just his boyish looks that made him attractive; it was his entire personality. He was caring, giving, brave, and self-sacrificing. He put his own feelings aside for the greater good. Deep down Ginny knew that he would sacrifice even her for that supposed 'greater good'.

But Harry wasn't exactly: The Boy Who Was Utterly Smooth With The Ladies. That was Draco's job. Harry and Hermione somehow endured five whole years of activities that included mistletoe events that were sworn secrets, flowers being conjured that the receiver was allergic to, and love notes carelessly placed, discovered by the wrong person, and read aloud to the entire house. 

Harry and Hermione had finally gotten together with the (secret) influences of Draco Malfoy, matchmaker extraordinaire. He told Ginny it was making him sick to watch Harry and Hermione make googly eyes at each other in all the classes they had together and not do anything about it. So, Draco sped things up a bit and conjured some well-placed tokens of affection and put them in plain sight of the two lovebirds.

At first Hermione and Harry had gone through the 'I didn't give you those flowers. I swear!' *Hug* 'Okay, I did. You caught me' stage. And then after many long hours of chipping away at their Anti-Hermione's-love/Anti-Harry's-affection barriers, Draco finally got them to admit their true feelings, which he knew they had all along, and things went uphill from there. Draco's reward was not getting nauseous every Potions class from all the eyelash batting and secret glances that weren't directed at him.

With all the commotion over Harry and Hermione, everyone but Ginny failed to notice Ron's lack of a love life. And she told Draco, who, to Ron's horror, decided to give him a "How to be the object of at least fifty girls' fantasies" lesson. Draco doubted Ron could ever be the object of even one girl's fantasy, the big red-haired lummox. But he agreed to do it to help Ginny.

Ron's horror increased when he found out what the lessons included: Put a bottle of 'Gel for the Dangerously Suave Wizard' in his hair all at one time and dressing in Slytherin colours, green and silver. Ron had commented on how green and silver didn't suit him at all, and Draco replied "Then wear black." 

Ron was forced to borrow some of Draco's clothes, which were too small for him, screamed when he saw his reflection, and tried to rip the clothes off him. Draco had tackled him to the ground screaming "Be careful you ungrateful git! It's Armani!" along with a steady stream of curses.

Ginny herself was perfectly content with being single. Not that she didn't want a boyfriend or that she was jealous of those who weren't single, it was just that not having someone didn't bother her too much, although she would've liked to date someone.

When she got back from her classes, she would spend the time drawing. She had already made a wonderful portrait of Hermione and Harry exhausted from studying, asleep on some books. She had painted a portrait of Harry kissing Hermione as Harry's Christmas gift. 

Ginny knew very well what Draco's love life was like. Very busy, It was probably hard work being that gorgeous, but Ginny didn't fancy Draco. Sure, she would admit that he was very attractive, with his silvery blond hair, steel coloured eyes that looked like shards of the Mirror of Erised, and a body that was only given to supposed demigods. 

But he probably had a girlfriend, and if he didn't (which was about as likely as Hermione dropping out of school), he certainly wouldn't go for someone like Ginny. For one, she was a Gryffindor, not that that had put any block in the way for friendship, but any more than that would cause mass hysteria among the houses, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff included. Another thing was the fact that every time Draco had even considered winding Ginny up, Ron showed up playing the protective older brother. 

As much as Ginny enjoyed being friends with Draco, a further relationship was strictly forbidden.

***

Draco was practicing his seducing techniques in the mirror, which was giving him very rude comments in return, when Blaise Zabini, another fellow Slytherin and molester of small animals everywhere, came up behind him and locked her arms around his neck. The mirror threw a fit. 

"Draco, were you seducing the mirror again?" Blaise asked. _I think her new hobby is to stalk me relentlessly. But who can blame her? _Draco thought, and smiled.

"No." he said bluntly. His smile faded. "Now go away. You're unattractive." He continued. Blaise pretended not to hear.

"I didn't know mirrors could be seduced." She said, batting her long eyelashes. Draco rolled his steel coloured eyes, and then proceeded to give Blaise a look of utter disgust…and she sighed! She just didn't get it. 

"Yes, if you're a Malfoy, anything can be seduced. Now run along and rape some bunnies." 

Draco could tell he hit a nerve. Hitting nerves was his specialty. Blaise hated having her fluffy animal fetish mentioned, even though most of what everyone heard ended up being true.

"Now Draco, I would really love you if you never mention that again." She said, running her blood red fingernails up his cheek. _She_ _probably sacrificed some small furry defenceless animal to get that colour. _He thought. Draco looked bored with the entire situation. He tended to grow tired of things fairly quickly.

"One: You already do love me, or lust after me beyond all normal reasoning, two: I would really love for you to sod off and leave me alone, and three: Is that rabbit blood or chipmunk blood? It really could be either." He said.

Blaise's dark eyes flashed with malice, but even she knew better than to hurt Draco. So she made a sound that was halfway between a shriek of rage and 'humph!' and stormed out of Draco's dormitory.

"Women." Draco said to himself, shrugged, and continued flirting with the mirror.

***

"Women…" Ron muttered, the confusion in his slightly muffled voice very prominent.

He had his head in his hands, and every now and then he would sigh. "I just don't get it, Gin. Am I really that unattractive? How come Malfoy has girls fawning all over him and I don't? He's an ugly git." He stated. Ginny repressed back a biting comment on how Draco wasn't an ugly git. She inwardly scolded herself for thinking that and for defending Draco in the first place. 

Now, there were two ways Ginny could reply to Ron's comments and questions. One was to actually tell her brother that he was attractive, stunningly hot, and otherwise nearly commit verbal incest.

Two was to defend Draco in front of Ron, the person that despised him the most. She shuddered at the thought. Even though Draco was her friend, she could never let it slip to Ron that she thought him attractive. He'd probably lock her in a wardrobe or something, completely cut off from Draco. Or she could just tell him…

"I don't know, Ron. Maybe you just haven't found the right girl yet. Besides, all the girls that fawn over Draco are only after one thing. They're not interested in love." Ginny said. 

Ron looked his sister in the eyes, and, with complete sincerity, asked her the one question she was dreading most.

"Are you interested in love…with Malfoy, I mean."

Ginny blushed scarlet. The truth was, she didn't know. It wasn't exactly prohibited. People had done it before. It just wasn't…accepted. And to fall for the one person you were supposed to hate more than anyone else. 

"I have a lot of homework to do, Ron. I hope you sort things out." She said, gathered up her books, and stood to leave. But Ron grabbed her gently by the arm.

"I hope you do too."

***

Hermione and Harry were just enjoying each other's company, not at all bothered by everyday worries. Hermione was floating on air. She relived the moment again and again, drilling the wonderful sensation of relief and completion into her memory, silently telling herself to never forget that moment. She relived it again.

She was lying in Harry's arms, relishing in the comfort that he brought, while he was preoccupied running his fingers through her hair. 

She looked up at him and smiled. He smiled back. It was her smile. She owned it, and he never, ever gave it to anyone else. It was the 'There's nothing wrong in the world all because I'm with you' smile. At least, that's what she thought.

"Hermione?" Harry whispered silkily into his girlfriend's ear.

"Yes, love?" she replied. His face showed no trace of nervousness, just pure confidence.

"I just wanted you to know that I love you. I will always love you." He said simply, as if he already knew she felt the exact same way.

Hermione was overwhelmed with emotions. She felt completion, relief, nervousness, flattered, but the greatest of all, love. Her love for him was like being in love with an angel, awe-inspiring, wonderful, yet painful at the same time, because that angel could never be whole, always part of something greater than them both. Kissing Harry was like kissing life in itself, and touching him was like touching a soul. 

Through all of that and in spite of it, she said, looking into Harry's eyes,

"I love you too."

But the part that Hermione didn't try to remember was Draco Malfoy, walking in right after she had confessed her undying love to Harry.

***

"Well," Draco said in a very unconcerned tone, "I was just coming to see Ginny to work with her. Carry on." He said, waving a hand in a manner of someone far superior. He started up the stairs to the girl's dormitories.

"Wait." Hermione called. Draco turned, giving her an impatient look.

"Yes, Mudblood. What do you want now? To confess your love for me too?" he asked. Hermione's expression was of pure repulsion.

"You really don't care about going into the girl's dormitories, do you?" she asked.

"Of course not." Draco replied, looking as if he'd just been asked if he minded being on the cover of Witch Weekly's Sexiest Wizards under 18 issue. "It's not like I haven't been in the Gryffindor girl's dormitories, or any of the other houses', for that matter, before." 

Harry looked disgusted, while Hermione looked faintly amused.

"Who have you been with in Gryffindor, Malfoy? The best you could do would probably be Lavender." Harry asked.

Draco stiffened.

"Actually, Potter, I have been with Lavender. I did it as a favor." He said.

Harry looked nauseous.

"Oh, so now you're giving out sexual favors?" he managed to ask through waves of nausea. 

Draco rolled his eyes.

"How else do you think we Malfoy's got so rich. Honestly, Potter. Are you doomed to stay a virgin your entire life? Although, I would want to as well if I had that-" he motioned towards Hermione with contempt. She glared back at him. "As a girlfriend. But my standards are far too high for me to actually sink to the level of dating a Mudblood."

Harry rose, his cheeks flushed with anger, and his green eyes flashed with the same intense hatred he had for Voldemort.

"Don't…ever…insult Hermione…in front of me." He ordered through clenched teeth.

Draco looked both bored and impatient. He checked his watch.

"Oh, you must have missed the countless times I've done it before. You really need your hearing checked. Now, I have somewhere to be, so I'll make this quick. Why should I listen to you? The only reason anyone cares about you is because you have a scar, and-" Hermione cut him off.

"You're wrong! Lots of people care about him because he's kind, caring, smart, okay, well, he gets some answers from me, but that's not the point. The point is he cares for people, and he is a better person than you could ever hope to be! All you do is strut around thinking you're better than everyone else! You don't even have the capacity to love, do you Malfoy? And another thing, Harry would sacrifice himself to save you, and he has, many times. You wouldn't even consider doing that. You'd just find some way to profit from the pain of others, and you do, every day." 

Hermione was shaking with anger, and the only thing stopping her from murdering Draco right then and there was Harry's hand on her shoulder, holding her back.

Draco's expression gave away nothing.

"Got that out? Good. I can tell you've been holding that in for some time. Ever look into therapy? You need it. Hmm…repressed anger, open hostility, obsessive compulsive disorder…the list goes on and on. Have a happy snog-fest Potter, and be sure to brush your teeth thoroughly afterward. Don't want Mudblood germs, now do we?" 

He unknowingly walked up the stairs to the girl's dormitories, about to be confronted by the sight of Ginny, crying uncontrollably.

***

"Ginny, buck up." Draco said. "I don't have time for this. We're already running late for the lesson because Granger decided to rant on and on about how I'm a bad person and Harry's so much better than me and so on and so forth."

Ginny wiped her eyes.

"Don't you care the slightest bit when you see someone in pain?" she asked.

Draco answered immediately. 

"Not really. I decided at a very young age not to get overly attached to people." He stated.

"But then why do you like to spend all this time with me?" Ginny inquired, confused. Draco shrugged.

"Probably because if I do I get to spend less time freezing in a dungeon." He replied. 

"So you don't visit me because we're friends, only because it's warm up here?" Ginny asked, the tears welling up again.

"Basically. Remember when I told you I don't have friends? Well, I want to keep it that way. Friends only get in the way."

Ginny's gaze turned to pure ice.

"Fine then. From now on, I'm not your friend. I tried to be your friend, but you've just proven that you don't want me to be. Our relationship is strictly professional." She said.

Draco reclined on Ginny's bed nonchalantly. 

"Fine with me. Oh, I'm _so _heartbroken. I just couldn't go on without you as a friend!" Draco said, his voice dripping with sarcasm that was practically tangible.

Inside, Ginny's heart and mind were waging war against one another. Even though she didn't love Draco, she still didn't want to lose his "friendship", despite the fact that she fabricated it entirely and it was one big lie. That was her hearts argument. Her mind was telling her that Draco had no interest in being friends with anyone and to just give up right then and there.

"Well, _Malfoy,_" Ginny finally said with hatred after a long pause. "Let's get to work then." 

Draco glared right back at her in a very Malfoyesque way. A way that made enemies cringe, slaves cower, and girls sigh with infatuation, but not this girl; She looked at him as if he were pure poison.

"Right Weasley, whatever you say."


	2. Chapter 2 Veela's and Vengeance

**__**

Chapter Two-Veela's and Vengeance

Draco had been amusing himself before Charms class by repeatedly shooting sparks at the back of Ron's head. An opportunity to torment a Weasley was something he could never pass up. 

"It's just too hilarious to watch that freckled face of yours, you overgrown git, turn the colour of your flaming hair." Draco said, taunting Ron furiously.

Ron finally turned around and zapped Draco with sparks of his own, but unfortunately for him, he didn't realise that Professor Flitwick had just arrived.

"Five points from Gryffindor, Mr. Weasley." The tiny Charms teacher squeaked. "Now leave Mr. Malfoy alone." 

Ron shook with suppressed rage, while Draco winked at Hermione, who had turned around and shot him an evil glare.

__

Ah, the life of a vicious bastard. Draco thought. _And all the better if you're a drop dead sexy vicious bastard._

Draco rested his head in his hands, ready for his usual nap, knowing that he could get the notes later by giving Lavender Brown a quick snog session. His life was too perfect…well known (insanely rich) family, great looks, good grades, which he obtained by having his father bribe the teachers, expensive clothes, and all the fawning women a man could ever ask for. Yes, he was humble. Yes, he was self-righteous. And he _loved_ it.

Draco was jolted out of his inward rant about how good being him actually was by a girl rushing over and firmly kissing him on both cheeks.

Ron looked positively homicidal. He was petting the rabbit that he and Neville Longbottom were supposed to be changing into a head of cabbage so hard that its eyes were bulging.

Draco smirked and realised just who it was that had kissed him.

"Hello, Fleur. It's absolutely delightful to see you again." He said.

The sight that greeted his eyes was magnificent and regal. It was a French girl, and her waist length silvery blonde hair that resembled Draco's own was plaited in one long braid. Her deep blue eyes looked as if their colour was stolen from a perfect summer sky, cloudless and beautiful. Fleur wasn't just beautiful, she was, _heavenly_.

Draco remembered meeting her after the Triwizard Tournament in his fourth year. His father had introduced her as Fleur Delacour, a family "friend." Draco knew better than to call anyone his family knew a friend. They were more like some distant relative's acquaintance that they had met only once.

Veela's were creatures that had silver hair, grace, poise, and a sex appeal that was literally fatal. If you got them angry, of course. Men fell head over heels in love with them, only to find out that they didn't care the slightest bit.

But Fleur and Draco had a bit more in common. They were both part Veela. Apparently, Draco's grandmother and Fleur's were friends. Real friends, not acquaintances. Draco and Fleur knew very well how stunningly attractive they were, but they were both immune to each other's Veela charms.

"Bonjour, Draco! I 'ave missed you so much!" Fleur said and kissed his cheeks again. _This is going to be fun!_ Draco thought to himself as Ron murdered his rabbit.

Professor Flitwick had to yell over the noise that all the boys (except Draco) were making. They were fighting each other to get near Fleur, who had gracefully slipped into a seat by Draco. Harry was making such a fuss over the fact that Hermione was jealous that he knocked all her books all over the floor, and, when she stooped to pick them up, he made a headlong mad dash at Fleur. She squealed, and looked as if she was enjoying the whole thing. Draco was.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" shouted Hermione. Harry rose steadily into the air, but just enough so he couldn't scramble for Fleur. He was trying in vain to escape Hermione's spell, moving his legs as if running, but he wasn't going anywhere. 

Draco was now in fits of laughter at the look on Harry's face. He had gone completely feral, spitting and biting and clawing. Definitely undignified. _Draco_ would _never_ do such a thing.

"Now class." Professor Flitwick said when the male members of the class (Again, not Draco) had been quieted down. Hermione had to magically glue them to their seats. "Fleur will be my intern. She has graciously volunteered to do so, in hopes to improve her English, which is already wonderful." Flitwick added, blushing. 

"Yes," Fleur said, standing up. All the heads turned. "I do 'ope to eemprove my Eenglish. And now zat I 'ave Draco to 'elp me, I'm sure I will 'ave it down just like zat." She snapped her fingers and gave Draco a smile when she sat down.

__

It's good to be a Malfoy. Draco thought to himself as he laid down to take his ritual Charms nap. _Better than being a Weasley. They're just a family with too little money and too many ugly children..._and he drifted off to sleep. 

***

Ginny couldn't concentrate on her homework at all that night. So many things were swirling around in her head. If Draco really didn't care, then why did she want him to? But she didn't just want him to care in general. She wanted him to care about her. As much as she wanted to deny it, she knew it was true, and she hated herself for it. This was Draco Malfoy. The one who hated her and her family. The one who insulted her more times than she could remember. The one who unknowingly stole her heart. 

__

"All right." She said out loud to herself. "Maybe I do like him. I mean, he is cute. But it's more than that. Even though he's a selfish, vain, arrogant, sarcastic, and insulting bastard who loathes my family entirely, I still can't help but like him. What is wrong with me?" she asked as she let her head thud onto her Transfiguration textbook.

"Maybe you have a thing for bad boys? I know I do." Said Lavender, who had just walked in carrying an armful of books. Ginny looked up surprised.

"Oh, hey. I didn't hear you come in." she said. Lavender put her books down on her desk, sat down on her own bed, and motioned for Ginny to sit by her.

"I presume your talking about Draco?" she asked.

Ginny sighed and sat down next to Lavender. She let her brush her long red hair and weave it into little complicated braids just for fun.

"Yeah, and you're the only one besides me who calls him by his first name."

"Well, I don't see the point in calling him by his last name. He doesn't call me Brown. But I don't want to talk about his last name. I want to talk about what you said."

Ginny gulped. 

"You see…the thing is…" She didn't finish her sentence, just trailed off into deep thought again.

"You love him, don't you?" Lavender whispered. "I mean, I've seen how you look at him. There were so many signs that you loved him. I don't blame you either. I love him too, but not in the kind of way most innocent people would think." She said with a devilish smirk. "Anyway, the point is that it's not your fault. No one will blame you for falling for someone, even if it is Draco Malfoy. You can't control your destiny. It's fate."

"But the fact that it's _Draco_ is what makes it so _wrong_!" Ginny shouted, standing up. Her hands were balled into fists and she was shaking. "I can't love him! It's not right. Do you have any idea what my parents will say? Do you understand that Ron hates Malfoy more than he hates anything in the entire world? Imagine the conversation: 'Oh Ron, by the way, I've just fallen in love with our family's sworn enemy. The wedding date's in October. I really hope you'll be there. Lucius is looking _so_ forward to see his only son marry a Weasley.' Lavender, I can't. I just can't…" Ginny again trailed off, sobbing into her pillow.

"Shh, Gin. You're not going to marry Draco. Everything's going to be okay." Lavender said, rocking Ginny back and forth.

"You don't know that I won't marry Draco! Even I don't know." Ginny looked into Lavender's light brown eyes. 

"If it felt good they wouldn't call it a crush, hun."

"But it's not a crush. It's something deeper. I've felt it for a long time, but I never admitted it to myself. All those nights I've spent with him talking by the fire and one night something woke up inside of me. I'd never felt like that before, and I was scared. When I'm around him, it's like I'm a totally different person. He makes me better. It's not exactly love, it's more like…sharing your soul."

"That _is_ love, Ginny." Lavender said quietly.

Ginny glared at her, her eyes flashing with the lightning of one who's desperate for any other reason and way than the one in front of them.

"And how would _you_ know? You've never been in love, so don't preach to me! I don't want to hear any more lies about love! It only hurts people. Good people have died in vain all because of love. Look at Harry's parents! They loved him, and they _died_!"

Lavender got up and headed towards the doorway, but before she left, she looked at Ginny. 

Ginny's jaw was set and she had a look of grim determination. She looked as if she was on the way to murder her best friend. Tears were silently flowing down her face. 

Lavender could tell that Ginny had held this in for some time. They were tears of love, frustration, sadness, and a deep, burning, ever-present anger. She looked like fire; A fire that was fed with hatred, and yet was cold to everything but itself.

She had never seen anything like that before, and it scared her. But what Ginny said next scared her even more.

"Everything won't be better until Malfoy is gone from my life entirely. I can control my destiny. And I will." 

***

The next day at dinner, the entire hall was talking about the Christmas holidays. Seamus Finnigan was animatedly telling Harry about how he was going to see the unveiling of a new broomstick. 

"It's a _Firebolt Optimus_!" he said. "Lighter than any other, it has an anti-curse spell more powerful than the one on the regular Firebolt, and it has a built in homing device so you can always find it. It reaches speeds twice that of the Nimbus 2000, and that's only the beginning." He said, waving his fork around in excitement.

"Oy, Finnigan! Watch the sharp pointy objects, would you?" Ron said as Seamus' fork nearly jabbed his eye out.

Hermione was talking with her friend Anna Huntings about what seemed to be Christmas presents. They were whispering, and every now and then one of them would giggle with excitement. 

That's what seemed to happen around Christmas time. Everyone was excited, and even Hermione didn't study as much as she usually did. All of the teachers still gave out as much homework, but less severe punishments. 

Ginny, on the other hand, was very solemn and thoughtful. She wasn't eating, just pushing her food around on her plate. She would occasionally sigh deeply and her mood would get sadder.

"Hey Gin," Harry asked. "Do you want to go for a walk? Just you and me?" 

Hermione glanced at her boyfriend, but he winked at her, signalling that he just wanted to talk. 

"Sure." Ginny replied, not knowing exactly what she had just agreed to do, but she knew it was a question.

Harry finished his breakfast, while Ginny pushed hers around a bit more, and then Harry stood up and held out his hand, much to Hermione's disapproval. Ginny took it reluctantly. Against her better judgement, she found herself wondering what it would feel like for Draco to hold her hand. Harry's felt warm and comforting.

_Draco's would probably feel like holding glass, strong, yet hurtful at the same time. Am I making any sense? Probably. Anyways, Draco does have nice hands…no! I can't think that._

Ginny finally tore her mind off the topic of Draco and his hands and focused on Harry.

"Well, Ginny," Harry said as they walked around the lake, their feet making crunching sounds in the freshly fallen snow. "I noticed today that you seem to have a lot on your mind. And, I don't know how to say this, but…" Harry stopped. He put his finger to his lips, silently telling Ginny to keep quiet.

Ginny followed his gaze, and what she saw made her gasp. Her eyes shot green sparks and her body tensed up.

It was Draco, in the clearing, with Fleur. And they were…well; Ginny didn't know exactly what they were doing, except that sparks were evidently flying between them. Literally, The only way that she knew it was Draco was because she recognised the hair, although that was barely visible through the red sparks and falling snow.

"They're…snogging!" Harry exclaimed as a wind blew and moved some sparks. It was clear that they were kissing. _What else could it_ _be? _Ginny thought. 

__

Fleur's sitting on Draco's lap and he's apparently enjoying himself. I don't know why he wants Fleur. She's not the prettiest girl in the world. Okay, so maybe her hair's a lot better than mine and she's taller, and she's French, but I still have redeeming qualities. Wait! What am I saying? I shouldn't be thinking this way about Draco. I hate him. I will not rush in and break them up. I will not. I will not. Oh bloody hell, I'm going! 

Ginny realised the cold clamp of jealously around her heart, and her eyes narrowed.

Before Harry could stop her, or she could stop herself, she bolted into the clearing.

"Yes, well, sorry to interrupt this little snog-fest we have going on here," she said once she reached Fleur and Draco.

They looked up. Fleur's eyes widened a bit, but Draco didn't react. "But shouldn't you be getting ready for class?" Ginny continued.

"Ginny, iz it?" Fleur asked. Ginny answered with a smirk and a glare, which Fleur recognised immediately. "Ah, I recognize zat look. It iz zat of a jealous lover. I 'ave seen it many times. Draco, why didn't you tell me you 'ad a girlfriend?" she asked with a pout.

"Look Weasley, go away. I was kind of getting my dose of fun for the day in." Draco said annoyed. "And she is _not_ my girlfriend. They say money can't buy love, and that's evidently not true. Ginny here has never had a boyfriend."

Ginny shook with anger, and it took every ounce of self-control she had not to kill Draco right then and there. She couldn't believe he was acting this way towards her. He was nice during those lessons, or at least bearable. _Oh, right. _Ginny remembered. _He was just using me. I should've known. He's a Malfoy._ She shuddered at the name, but no one could tell, because everyone was shivering with the cold.

"Well, Malfoy." Ginny said with a grimace as Harry's hand clamped down on her arm hard. "I hope you two freeze out here. Have a nice time." She said sarcastically.

"What waz zat about?" Fleur asked as she rested her head on Draco's shoulder. Draco pressed her body to him, keeping himself warm.

"She wants me, that's all." He said into Fleur's long hair, as if mad crushes were an everyday occurrence, which for him, they were.

"Don't you care?" Fleur asked, trailing butterfly kisses up Draco's neck.

"Not really. It's not like she's the first one." He replied. Fleur again rested her head on Draco's shoulder, sighing this time and closing her eyes.

"You know, she iz pretty in 'er own way. You should really give 'er a chance, Draco. Oh, and did you know zat you're my couzin?" she asked. 

Draco entwined his fingers in Fleur's.

"She is not pretty. I don't love anyone. Remember that. And it's not like I've slept with you, so the cousin thing doesn't really matter." He said.

Fleur performed a simple warming charm on them both, and stood up.

"Yet, Draco." She said with a coy smile. "It does not matter _yet_."

***

"What the hell was that all about?" Harry asked as he and Ginny reached the door leading into Hogwarts. Ginny flushed scarlet but her eyes were sharp with rage.

"It's none of your bloody business so drop it, Potter!" she exclaimed harshly as she turned on Harry. Harry looked hurt, but not too much. It wasn't like Ginny yelling at him was like Hermione. If Hermione had yelled at him, Harry would've felt like his heart broke into a million pieces. But ginny's anger just made him sad. 

Harry reached out and put a hand on Ginny's arm, but she pulled away fiercely. "Are you daft? I said sod off!" she said and stormed into the castle.

She ran through the great hall, oblivious of the whispers and looks that followed her. Her heart was pounding so hard that she could see it through her robes, and she was overwhelmed with rage.

_Why don't they just leave me alone? They've ignored me all these years and now that Malfoy's involved, they insist on prying into my boring uneventful life! What do they expect? Do they want me to tell them about my mad passionate affair with Malfoy complete with many long snogs and a romance that'll make them blush? Well, sorry, but they'll just be disappointed, because that never happened. As much as I wished it had…_

Ginny screamed with rage once she reached a hallway that was deserted.

"Fine! I admit it! I like Draco Malfoy! There, are you happy? Whoever's running the world today is a fucking sadist! You want me to cry? Okay, I'm crying!" Ginny said as the tears started to fall. She was now shaking and screaming at the ceiling, as if it were in charge of her torture. "I can't take this anymore! Everything in my life's falling apart! Hand me down robes, brother's who ignore me, no friends! I just don't know what to do!"

She collapsed onto the cold stone floor of the hallway, sobbing and whimpering. She lay there for some time, and when she finally got up, she had reached a decision.

She stood up; jaw set and eyes flashing. Her red hair was wild and looked like fire. And at the moment, she had the persona of it too.

She quickly raced to her dormitory and grabbed some parchment. Before she started to write though, she paused and considered who exactly to address it to. _Not Harry, or Ron, or Hermione, they wouldn't care anyway. _She thought, sucking on her quill. _Not Lavender, no, she'd feel too bad. Ah, I know…Malfoy. I wish I could see the look on his face when he reads this. Alas, I can't have my cake and eat it too. At least this'll torment him for a while. _

So Ginny wrote:

To Draco Malfoy,

You deserve all the pain that you will get from my actions. You have no idea what you put me through. I really did love you, but of course you didn't care. Love doesn't matter to you, and now I realise that it is a waste of emotions. Thank you for correcting my ridiculous outlook on life. But I owe you nothing. 

Virginia Anne Weasley.

She signed her name with a flourish and went to the owlry. She decided to use a school owl, a tawny one. She attached the letter to its leg and gave it a Knut.

__

By now, Ginny thought_. Draco should be in his dormitory. I'd rather die than love a Malfoy. It's not like anyone would miss me anyway. Everyone ignores me, so they shouldn't even notice I'm gone. I know; I'll come back and haunt Malfoy. Maybe then he'll realise this hell he's putting me through. Day and night I've tortured myself and I'm not going to do this anymore. It's time for me, the youngest Weasley, to do something noticeable for once. _

Ginny then decided to voice her thought aloud for no apparent reason. 'Ginny, you're too young to go to Hogwarts.' 'No, Ginny, you're too little.' 'You should try and act more like your brothers Ginny.' 'Stop being so girly, Ginny.' 'For the last time, no you cannot have new robes this year.' She said, mocking her mother's voice.

She told the owl to find Draco and dispatched it. 

"Well this time," she spoke quietly. "I'm not too little or too young to do this. I'm the bravest one of them all. They were weak, but I'm taking control of the situation and getting out right now." 

A strange sense of calm floated over her, and she smiled a grim smile. One of a person on the way to die…

So Ginny sighed, made her way to Harry's dorm room, and once she got there, donned the invisibility cloak. She only needed it till she got outside. Once there, she didn't care if anyone saw her on the roof. It would be too late.

***

Draco was on his way to his common room after dessert feeling quite calm when a large tawny owl came and dropped a letter at his feet. 

__

Oh bloody hell, Draco thought, his feeling of calm suddenly ripped away and replaced by a sense of annoyance. _Now who on this earth would insist on sending me an owl now?_

He picked it up and examined it. It had a red ribbon tied around it. That could only mean one thing: a Gryffindor.

Draco sighed and ripped off the ribbon. He rolled open the parchment and read it. A flicker of some unnamed emotion passed through his eyes at this point. He didn't understand what he was doing. He didn't even know he was doing it.

The next thing he knew he was standing at the top of the North Tower, out of breath, and watching Ginny Weasley prepare to jump.


	3. Chapter 3Will You Save Me?

Chapter 3- Will You Save Me?  
  
"Now Weasley," Draco drawled. Ginny turned around carefully so not to slip. Before she jumped she at least wanted to hear what he had to say. "Do you really want to do this?"  
  
Ginny glared at Draco. Normally a person who asked someone if they wanted to commit suicide would ask with some sort of emotion. But this was Draco Malfoy. He had about as much emotion as a particularly uncommunicative brick wall.  
  
"Because of you, yes." Ginny replied bluntly. She expected some sort of emotion to be in his eyes, to give the fact that he was human away. But there was nothing. Not fear, nor concern, or even pleasure.  
  
His eyes were just a cold gray oblivion. "I am so sorry," He said this with great sarcasm. "but I just can't let you do this." He continued, again without emotion.  
  
"Why?" Ginny asked, still glaring. Draco stepped forward towards her. Ginny, in reply, stepped closer to the edge.  
  
"Because do you know what Dumbledore will do to me if he finds out I let a student jump off the roof?"  
  
Typical, Ginny thought bitterly. Even now he's only thinking of himself. "Oh, and you're not doing this because you care about me the slightest bit?" she said sarcastically.  
  
"Not the least bit, so stop flattering yourself, Weasley. Now get down before I make you." Draco replied, taking another step towards Ginny. But this time Ginny stayed where she was. "I'd like to see you try, Malfoy." She spat.  
  
With the speed only of a seeker, Draco shot forward and grabbed Ginny off the edge of the roof. "Let me go, you bastard!" Ginny yelled, but Draco, being much stronger than she was, held her tight against his chest.  
  
If the circumstances weren't what they were, Ginny would've enjoyed being wrapped up in Draco's arms, her head against his chest, hearing his heart beat.  
  
But Ginny was in too much of a frenzy to notice that she was in a position that most of the female student body would kill to be in. So she struggled against Draco.  
  
Then, seeing that Ginny was still fighting and had no intention of giving up any time soon, Draco did something that he swore he would never do.  
  
He kissed her.  
  
Just like he had expected, Ginny immediately stopped struggling once her lips were touched by his.  
  
Ginny had been hitting Draco in the chest, to little effect, when she felt him wrench her head up roughly and cover her mouth with his.  
  
Her body had tensed up at the unexpected sensation, but she soon relaxed. She moved her hands up and locked them around his neck, while he slid his around her waist.  
  
Ginny could feel Draco's heart pounding against hers, and it made her happy. She was finally sure that he was human, even if he didn't show any emotions. But she knew he had them, however deep they may have been buried, he had them.  
  
Ginny made a soft noise against Draco's mouth and tried to deepen the kiss.  
  
But Draco suddenly shoved Ginny away harshly, leaving her wide-eyed and breathless. He backed away from her quickly, wiping his mouth as he did so.  
  
Ginny wondered why Draco's heart was beating so wildly during their kiss, when he said that he didn't care about her.  
  
Draco reached out one hand and brushed back a lock of Ginny's flaming red hair. As he did so, Ginny moved her hand and covered Draco's with her own. She let the scene take its time, Draco's hand on Ginny's cheek, with her own on top of his.  
  
But the moment wouldn't last forever. Draco quickly pulled his hand away and stuffed both of them in his pockets.  
  
"Don't ever make me do that again, Weasley." He said. Ginny nodded, sadness washing over her as she realized she would probably never affectionately touch him again, or he touch her. So she nodded, and Draco walked off, leaving Ginny alone with the memory of her very first kiss.  
  
*** Hermione had been in the library referencing a source for a report she was doing, when she saw Draco Malfoy walk in.  
  
Oh great. Just the person I wanted to see. She thought, and turned the page of her book fiercly, as if it was the cause of Draco's sudden appearance.  
  
Despite her best efforts to just wish him away, he seemed to want to stay there. Hermione put the book up to hide her face, but to no avail. Draco walked gracefully over to where she was sitting and snatched it away.  
  
"Hello, Mudblood." Draco said, his voice as sweet as honey. Hermione attempted to grab her book back but Draco held it out of reach.  
  
"Sod off, Malfoy. I don't want to talk to you." Hermione said, again reaching for her book. Draco handed it back to her, saying "You tire me, Granger, but I think that you will want to talk to me." Hermione stuffed the book in her bag and glared at him.  
  
He was relaxed, his face giving away a hint of boredom. He sat with his hands folded across his chest, feet up on the table, leaning back.  
  
"Why would I want to talk to a lying git like you?" Hermione asked. "Because I have some very valuable information about one of the many horrible Weasley children. I know things that no one else knows except for Weasley herself."  
  
Hermione's eyes flashed with hatred, but at the same time she couldn't help but lose focus when looking at him. He was undoubtedly the most attractive boy in her grade. What?! Did I just say Malfoy was more attractive then Harry, my boyfriend? No. I will not think that Malfoy is cute. Harry is my boyfriend, and not that weasel faced bastard. She thought.  
  
"Oh really?" Hermione replied with the same smooth tone to her voice. "And what did you to do Ginny?"  
  
Draco smirked. "Not to her, with her would be more correct." He said, delighting in the look of shock that took over Hermione's face.  
  
"No-Ginny would never-she wouldn't-not with you-never." She sputtered. Malfoy's smirk widended into a fiendish grin.  
  
"Look, you piece of Mudblood scum, I'm going to give it to you straight. I kissed the She-Weasel, and guess what? She kissed me back. Just thought I'd tell you." He said.  
  
Hermione's bookbag suddenly swung at Draco. He ducked quickly, and her shot missed. "Ginny would never kiss you. Never in a million years. I don't believe you." Hermione spat, giving him a glare of intense loathing.  
  
Draco leaned forward and whispered into Hermione's ear.  
  
"Ask her yourself, Granger. And you want to know why I did it?" he asked. Draco apparently didn't care that everyone hated him.  
  
"Why?" Hermione growled through gritted teeth. Draco leaned in even closer, till his breath ticked her ear and ruffled her bushy hair. No matter who did it, it was a nice feeling.  
  
"Because the She-Weasel wanted to fly. That's the reason for why I kissed her. I saved her, and she fought me. She wouldn't give up, so I did the only thing I could besides knocking her out. And believe me, Granger," Draco said with disgust. "I won't ever do it again. But Weasley is quite talented." He added as an afterthought, suddenly looking quite thoughtful. Hermione's voice brought him back to earth.  
  
"But don't you have a girlfriend?" she asked. Even if I didn't I still wouldn't kiss a Weasley. But those were special circumstances. I should get an award for this or something. Well earned, I say. Draco mused.  
  
"Actually, I have a mistress. Her name's Alice Adams. But kissing Weasley was a special circumstance." He said to Hermione, voicing his thought aloud. "If I didn't do it, she would've broke free and jumped off the roof. So now who do you have to thank, huh?" he asked.  
  
"But why'd you do it? I mean, why save a Weasley if you hate them so much." Hermione asked. Draco stood up, preparing to leave.  
  
"Self-interest." He replied, and walked out of the library. Selfish git. Hermione thought bitterly.  
  
She gathered up her bookbag and made her way to the Gryffindor common room. She had to talk to Ginny.  
  
*** Draco walked slowly down to the Slytherin dungeons. He had seen the look on Hermione's face when he told her why he rescued Ginny. She thought him a monster. But it was true. Stupid pathetic Mudblood. Draco thought bitterly. Running around getting emotionally attached to people. Well I don't need people. I'm perfectly fine on my own.  
  
True, he had a mistress, and he enjoyed her company very much. But he didn't love her. He never loved. To do so was to disgrace the Malfoy name.  
  
Draco reached the Slytherin portrait hole. He looked up at it with familiarity. He had looked at this portrait for the past 7 years. It was of a figure in a long black cloak striding through the infinite light of all that is good, and it looked as if he was being tortured. His right hand was held out and through the light came a snake. It's green translucent scales shone brightly, but the light in itself was drowned out by the Infinite Light. It's red glowing eyes shone as well, but they cut through the Light, fracturing it's purity.  
  
"Midnight Sacrifice" Draco said, and the portrait swung open, revealing Alice, sitting by the fire, a cold gleam in her eyes. "Hello, Alice." Draco greeted his mistress softly. "I trust you waited for me like I told you?"  
  
Alice slowly approached Draco. He had gotten used to her radiant beauty. Her shoulder length dark brown hair, her deep brown eyes, her soft lips. She was his, and his alone. She had came to him once, in the night, with an offer..  
  
"Yes." Alice answered. Draco slipped an arm around her thin waist. He slowly nibbled her earlobe and whispered to her.  
  
"Well, since you obeyed me you should be rewarded." Alice looked up at him, her eyes shining. She had long since stopped wondering what he meant. "Come." He ordered, his voice a purr.  
  
And she came, like she was supposed to. She always obeyed. He owned her.  
  
*** It was empty. Ginny's bed was empty. Hermione had decided to talk to Ginny the next morning, but she seemed to have disappeared. With a gasp of realization, Hermione realized that she had not seen Ginny at all the previous evening.  
  
Ron was sitting in the common room reading Quidditch Through the Ages for the fifty millionth time, when he saw Hermione run down the stairs straight at him.  
  
"Ginny's gone!" she exclaimed. "She's gone! She's not in her bed, I looked and I didn't see her all last night, and Draco said that Ginny was about to jump off the North Tower, and.and.." Hermione stopped, hysterical.  
  
Ron dropped his book and stood up violently. His hands clenched into fists and his face paled, showing off every single freckle. His shoulders were tensed and he was hunched over a bit. Hermione noticed little trails of blood making their way down Ron's palms. "Ron, you're bleeding." She said quietly.  
  
"I know. That's what happens when you dig your nails into your palms and your angry and worried." He replied, tapping his wand, which he had pulled out of a robe pocket, on his palms and watching the cuts and blood disappear. "We have to go get her. Do you have any idea where she might be?"  
  
Hermione bit her lip and scrunched up her nose, looking very pensive.  
  
"Draco.she probably wants to talk to Draco." She said. "At this hour he's most likely at breakfast. Let's go to the Great Hall. Hopefully Ginny's there too."  
  
Ron bolted through the portrait hole, Hermione at his heels.  
  
*** Ginny walked the Charms corridor alone. She needed time to think. She wondered why someone like Draco would save her, when it would have been so much more enjoyable for him to watch her jump. She believed him when he said he didn't love her, but then what did he feel for her? She had to find out. But how?  
  
The one thought that kept entering her head was the possibility that he couldn't love. Don't be silly. She thought to herself. Everyone can love. But could he really?  
  
Ginny suddenly heard the sound of footsteps approaching. She turned towards the sound, which was getting closer. And along with the sound of footsteps, eerie laughter.  
  
She quickly pulled out her wand, putting a complicated invisibility spell on herself that Hermione had taught her. She waited for the laughing someone to appear, breathing quietly.  
  
The laughter of what seemed to be a girl sent chills up Ginny's spine. The sound and its owner grew closer. Ginny's heartbeat quickened.  
  
From around the corner came a girl. She was wearing a long black dress. She doesn't look like a student, or a teacher for that matter. Ginny thought. The girl had wavy blond hair that hung about her shoulders, glowing with an ethereal light. Her peircing blue eyes stared right at Ginny, as if she could see her. The girl approached the place where Ginny was standing, shiny tears glistening in her eyes.  
  
"Virginia." the girl whispered.  
  
"Oh my god!" Ginny exclaimed. She took off the invisibility spell and stared at this hauntingly beautiful girl in front of her. The girl seemed to make every ounce of attention Ginny had focus on her and her alone. The entire world dissappeared in front of Ginny's eyes, or so it seemed.  
  
"Virginia." the girl repeated. "You're funny." The girl giggled. "You don't know, do you?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Ginny asked, worried. The girl giggled again.  
  
"I mean you don't know Draco loves you. In his own twisted way, he does, no matter what he tells you."  
  
Ginny got chills. What is she talking about? Draco doesn't love me. He told me he didn't. He doesn't even like me. "He does too love you. I know. I have seen his soul. It's very dark in there." The girl giggled again.  
  
"Who are you?" Ginny asked. The girl seemed to be remembering something painful, and shining transparent tears formed at her eyes.  
  
"I am Adriel, a victim of a terrible curse." Ginny's mind immediately took her to the worst curse she knew of.  
  
"You mean Avada Kedavra?" she asked. The tears started to flow from Adriel's eyes.  
  
"Oh no, something much worse. There are far more terrible things in the world than Avada Kedavra. I was a victim of love."  
  
"But, then how did you die? Why is love terrible?" Ginny asked. Adriel reached out to touch Ginny's hand.  
  
"You should know why love is evil. The name of the curse is The Curse-" Suddenly voices were heard coming towards them. Adriel broke off, her eyes flashing with fear. She disappeared.  
  
"Wait!" Ginny called out. But it was no use, Adriel was gone. "What curse?" Ginny whispered to the unresponsive darkness.  
  
*** 


End file.

Harry Potter, Drama, Romance