The Hospital Wing and the Astronomy Tower

Ginny enjoyed the next few days. Her leg was finally getting better, and although she and Draco didn't talk all that often, she enjoyed the company, it wasn't as bad as she would have thought.

It was Sunday evening when Harry first visited her.

"How nice to see you Harry," she said, slightly colder than she intended. She heard a snort from Draco, and she glared at him.

"Ginny, I'm sorry I haven't visited you until now," Harry apologized.

"No, don't apologize Harry, it's quite all right." To Ginny's annoyance, Draco snorted again.

"Well, it must be really hard for you to share the same air as that," Harry gestured towards Draco.

Ginny smiled weakly. "It isn't that bad," she said.

Harry let out a laugh that didn't suit him at all. "Yes, I'm sure it's not that bad. He's selfish and thoughtless, not to mention evil, and..." But Harry was cut off by Draco, who had got up from his bed and crossed the room to where Harry and Ginny were, wand in hand.

"Leave him alone Malfoy!" shrieked Ginny.

"What, and him get away with something like that?" Draco retorted.

"Malfoy, you're getting too defensive, you need to calm down," said Harry.

"DON'T TELL ME TO CALM DOWN!" shouted Draco.

"I'll just be leaving then," said Harry, "see you later Ginny. I hope you get better soon."

Ginny watched Harry leave the room, then she turned to Draco.

"He's such a liar," said Draco. "He probably doesn't want you to get better. In fact, I bet your brother and his girlfriend forced him to come here and see you."

"Shut up!" Ginny shouted. "Just leave me alone!

"Just because he saved you from the Chamber of Secrets doesn't mean he gives a damn. And he thinks he's so very great because he has his stupid little scar, and because he was Hogwarts champion in his forth year. He thinks too much of himself because he's defeated Voldemort (Ginny flinched at hearing the dark lord's name) so many times, and he made the Quidditch team in his first year. What else has he done? What else does he praise himself for?"

Ginny shrugged. "He saved Sirius."

"Ah, yes. His convict godfather. Then the was the Order of Phoenix riff raff last year," Draco continued. "But what I'm trying to say is this: He doesn't care about anyone but himself."

"Now you're lying," said Ginny. "He cares about Ron and Hermione. He'd risk his life for them. In fact, he already has."

"But it's always Potter who gets them into a situation from which they need saving," Draco replied.

"That's a bit rich, coming from you," said Ginny. "It was because of your father that I almost died."

"And what a loss that would have been," said Draco, heading off to his own bed.

Ginny spent the next hour ignoring Draco, and immersed herself into reading the final chapter of Roald Dahl's "the Witches," anxious to find out whether the main character could ever be restored to his normal form of a boy. The witches in this book made her shudder. They were so sadistic, so cruel...

There was a knock on the infirmary door, and Blaise Zabini entered.

"I see you've learned to knock," said Draco, sounding amused.

Blaise was smiling widely. "The Yule Ball is this Friday," she said. "And I've got something in store for Pansy. She won't want to show her face after I'm finished with her."

Draco sneered. "So sadistic, yet so beautiful. You're a girl of many faces."

Blaise smiled at him. "How's life? I see the cuts are healing," she said, leaning over and touching his arm with the fingers of her right hand, of which the nails were short and black. "You'll be up and about in no time. Professor Snape is really missing you. He's in a bad mood so I think he's also missing Weasley," she shot a sweet smile at Ginny. "And how are you today Weasley?" she asked, walking towards Ginny. She prodded Ginny's leg with a finger. "How's the leg?"

Ginny smiled back, just as sweetly. "It's perfectly fine, thank you."

Blaise smirked. "My, aren't we well mannered? If only all Gryffindors were like you."

Ginny wasn't sure what this meant, but she didn't let her smile falter. "And how are you, Miss Zabini?"

Blaise looked shocked for a moment, but quickly replied, "just fine." Then she turned her attention back to Draco. "I expect you haven't a partner for the ball? So you'll be taking Pansy, yet again?"

Draco glared at her. "Over your dead body. I'd rather go with you than with Pansy."

Blaise shook her head. "I'm strictly off limits, I've grown a liking for Terry."

"I'll find someone," said Draco, a note of finality in his voice.

Blaise nooded. "Well, I'm off," she said, then she nodded in Ginny's direction. "Weasley."

Ginny nodded back, "Zabini.."

Once Blaise had closed the door behind her, Draco spoke.

"She likes you. She doesn't like many people, you should feel honoured."

Ginny nodded, but didn't speak.

Ginny quickly fell asleep that night.

She was walking into the Great Hall with Neville, it was the night of the Yule Ball. Harry and Cho were dancing, along with Hermione and Ron, Seamus and Lavender, Pansy with Goyle, and Millicent Bulstrode with Crabbe. Suddenly everyone stopped dancing and looked at her. Blaise Zabini walked through the crowd.

"My, my Weasley, couldn't afford robes this year?" she said.

Ginny looked down, only to find that she was naked.

Ginny awoke with a start. What a strange dream. She looked around the hospital wing, and saw Draco standing by the window, gazing at something outside.

"What are you looking at Malfoy?"

Malfoy turned around, only slightly startled. "Do you think you can walk on that leg?" he asked.

Ginny shook her head. Her leg did feel better, but she didn't want to risk walking on it.

Draco walked over to her. "Fine, I'll just have to carry you then," he said, and with that, he lifter her out of the bed.

"What are you doing?!" shrieked Ginny.

"You asked a question which I intend on answering," he replied.

He carried her out of the infirmary and into the astronomy tower. He stood her up on the floor of the tower, and held her arm to support her.

"Did you ever look at the stars, and just think about... everything?" he asked. "Did you ever wonder if we're alone in the universe? Or how insignificant we are?"

Ginny nodded. It was true, she had thought about it many times when she couldn't sleep at night.

"Have you ever felt like anything could happen? As though the most powerful magic is all in the sky?"

Ginny nodded again.

"That's what I was looking at," he said. He looked at her, his cold grey eyes blank and expressionless. "You may not believe this, but my father believes in the magic of stars. You may think he's cold and evil, but really, he's only human. That's why the stars make me feel at peace; because they remind me that my father is human, and that deep down, he's capable of love."

Ginny nodded. She wanted to speak, but she couldn't.

Draco smiled at her. A genuine smile, not a mocking one. "Thanks," he said.

"For what?" Ginny asked, her voice finally coming out.

"For listening."

"It's not a problem. You aren't as mean as I always thought you were. You're actually quite human," she said.

"Now you tell me what's bothering you," he said.

"I'm just constantly forgotten, that's all. But it doesn't matter, I've learned to live with it," she replied.

"No, it does matter. You don't deserve to be forgotten. It should be Potter who gets forgotten, not you."

Ginny smiled. Having Draco around was a real comfort.

"Seeing as you won't be going to the ball with Potter," said Draco, "would you like to come with me?"

Ginny smiled, "that would be nice."

Draco nodded and picked her up again. He carried her back to the hospital wing, and put her down in her bed.

"Good night, Weasley," he said, kissing her on the cheek.