The Hospital Wing and the Astronomy Tower

Even though he was well-fed, Harry slept terribly. He couldn't stop thinking about Blaise Zabini. He knew she was evil, and she'd be no good for him, but he still wondered how it would feel to be able to say that Blaise Zabini was his girlfriend. He also couldn't stop thinking about other things that he would never discuss with anyone, not even Ron, because he'd be too ashamed to admit he'd even thought such things.

He walked slowly down the stairs to the Gryffindor common room. Neither Ron nor Hermione was there, so he decided to just head down to breakfast.

Upon entering the Great Hall, Harry instinctively looked to the Ravenclaw table and saw Cho. He was still contemplating, at this point, whether or not he would break it off with Cho. Then for some reason, his attention wandered to the Slytherin table. Blaise was not there. And neither were Crabbe and Goyle for that matter, in fact, Harry had not seen either of them since Christmas Eve.

Harry sat down at the Gryffindor table, beside Hermione, who was reading a book which she had propped open on a jug of milk. She looked up for a second said a quick "morning," and then went back to reading.

Ron, who was on Hermione's other side, was shoving egg and sausage into his mouth. "Morning 'Arry," he said, spraying Hermione with spit. Hermione looked at him angrily. "Sorry," he said.

Hermione wiped her face with a napkin, and then turned to Harry. "You're very quiet this morning," she said. "Anything bothering you?"

Harry quickly shook his head. "What's that you're reading?" he asked, hastily changing the subject.

"Oh," she said. "It's this book Ginny gave me. She told me to read it, wanted to know what it said."

"Can't she read?" Harry asked.

"Yes, that's what I said," said Hermione. "But she insisted that I read it."

"What's it about?" Harry asked.

"Well, it isn't anything that interesting," said Hermione. "It's a dragon breeding book. I think it was probably Charlie's."

"No, it isn't. I've never seen it before," said Ron.

Harry shrugged. "So er Ron," he said. "What's your opinion on this whole Ginny Malfoy thing?"

"Ginny Malfoy?" Ron spluttered. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"No, I mean, Malfoy and Ginny," said Harry.

"Well," said Ron. "What should I think?"

"Oh Ron!" said Hermione. "You're being so blind! Just because you tell Ginny not to do something, doesn't mean she won't!"

"But she said she wouldn't," said Ron. "And I owled mum."

"So? What difference does it make?" said Hermione. "It isn't as though she's the perfect little angel, and she listens to everything her big brother tells her. She's never been like that, she takes risks, you know, and there's so much you don't know about her!"

"About who?" said a voice behind Hermione. Ginny had entered the Great Hall just a few seconds before.

Hermione turned around, shocked. "Um, about... Cho. Yes, I was telling Harry about Cho."

"Is that right?" said Ginny.

"Yes," said Hermione. "We were just, er... we were..."

"Lost for words?" said Ginny, with a smirk. She sat down beside Harry and began eating breakfast.

"Ginny, about this book," said Hermione, leaning around Harry to see Ginny. "Why did you need me to read it?"

Ginny looked up. "Are you done with it?"

Hermione shook her head. "But it doesn't seem very important, unless I wanted to become a dragon breeder."

"Really?" said Ginny, thunderstruck.

"Yes," Hermione replied. "Didn't you know that already?"

"Did I?" said Ginny.

Hermione looked at Ginny, a superior sort of expression on her face. Ginny ignored it. "Can I have it back?" she asked.

Hermione handed her the book. Ginny turned to Harry. "Oy, Harry?" she said.

Harry looked around at her. "What?" he said.

She showed him the cover of the book, tracing her fingers over the title. "What does this say?"

Harry stared at her. "Do you have reading problems?" he asked, with concern.

"No, no, just, could you read it?"

"Dragon Breeding for the Dragon Lover," Harry read. "Is this some sort of trick?"

Ginny shook her head. "What's the picture of?" she asked.

"A dragon, by the looks of it," Harry replied.

Ginny nodded. "Could I leave please?" she asked Ron.

Ron looked up. "Where?"

"Does it matter?" she asked.

"Yes," said Ron. "Are you going to see Malfoy?"

Ginny shrugged and said, "what if I am?"

"Stop it Ginny!" shrieked Hermione.

"Stop what?" said Ginny.

"You keep saying everything in the form of a question!" said Hermione.

"Do I?" said Ginny, standing up to leave.

"Yes, now stop it."

"So, I'll see you later yeah?" said Ginny, walking away.

"But I never said she could go," said Ron.

***

Ginny sat down and opened the book. She had been reading it the night before, and had noticed something on the first page. It said, I only show my true identity to the eye of the beholder...

Ginny wasn't certain whether the 'beholder' was her, so she asked Hermione to read the book for her. Hermione hadn't read the same book Ginny had read, and Ginny found that unsettling. She wanted to get rid of the book; memories of Tom Riddle would flood her whenever she thought about this dark book she was now the supposable beholder of.

Suddenly, for some unknown reason, she stood up and tossed the book into the fire. An action she would regret only seconds later. The book flew back out of the fire and across the library to where Draco had just entered. He caught the book, then turned his attention to Ginny. "I followed you from the Great Hall," he said.

"Isn't that nice?" said Ginny. "But why?"

Draco shrugged. "Because you're acting oddly?"

"Am I really?" said Ginny.

Draco turned the book over to look at the cover. "Dragons, Dungeons, and Dark Arts," he read. "Now what would a nice Weasley be doing with a book like this?"

"Who said I had it?" said Ginny.

"Don't be so stupid," said Draco. "But, for you that isn't hard."

Ginny scowled. "What the Hell do you want Malfoy?"

"I told you already, it's Draco," Draco said.

"Why'd you insult me?" said Ginny.

"Did I?" asked Draco, thinking back a few seconds.

"Are you going to tell me what you want?" said Ginny.

"Yeah," Draco replied. "I just wanted to say sorry about yesterday, I didn't mean for your brother to catch us like that, we'll just have to be more secretive from now on. But this book, Dragons, Dungeons, and Dark Arts?"

Ginny froze. Did Draco just read the correct title of the book? She walked over to him slowly. She took a deep breath and asked, "how did you know what it's called?"

"It's er, written on the front?" Draco suggested.

"B-b-but, didn't Harry and Hermione say it was something else?" said Ginny.

"I don't know," Draco replied. "Did they?"

"I think I might need to talk to you," said Ginny. "This is really scary."

"Not really," said Draco, doubtfully.

***

Blaise had been able to sleep better ever since she had been rejected by Harry Potter. The truth was, she had never been rejected before, and this was just another good reason to rid the world of Potter for good.

She woke up after a long sleep around mid-afternoon. She went into the Slytherin common room, which was almost completely empty. She sat herself down beside Malcolm Baddock, who was sleeping with his head on a table. "Malcolm," she whispered into his ear. Malcolm muttered something Blaise could not comprehend. Always did talk in his sleep, she thought to herself. She decided that she would have a little fun with him before waking him up. Her mother had told her that if you talked to a sleeping person, they would share their true feelings, rather than lie to make you feel better. "Malcolm," she whispered again. "It's Blaise."

"Blaise..." muttered Malcolm.

"Yes, Blaise," said Blaise.

"I fink.. Blaise..." Malcolm mumbled.

"What? You think Blaise what?" Blaise questioned.

"I..I like Blaise... She's pretty..." Malcolm said.

Blaise smirked. "Well isn't that something?" she said, more to herself than to Malcolm.

"But she's damn evil," Malcolm continued. "But I... like evil. Evil is good."

Blaise rolled her eyes, feeling she'd had enough, so she slapped Malcolm on the back of the head. Malcolm sat bolt upright. "Blaise!" he said. "What are you doing here?"

"I have as much right to be here as you do, Baddock," Blaise replied. "Why were you sleeping here? Is there something wrong with your dormitory?"

Malcolm shrugged, and muttered, "more comfortable here."

"Malcolm," said Blaise, using his first name, which was a rare gesture. "Malcolm, I need your help. Will you help me?"

He looked at her, clearly startled. "M-my help? You need me?" he stammered.

"No, not you, I need you to help me with something," Blaise corrected.

"Er, anything," he replied.

"Good," said Blaise.