Ginny raced down the narrow, winding side-streets of Diagon Alley, whacking people with her bag as she went. ??Scuse me, pardon me, so sorry, um?.. move!?

            ?What a rude child!? exclaimed a rather stuffy old witch as she narrowly missed being knocked down by a 40 pound book-bag.

            It wasn?t really that Ginny was rude, it was just that she sometimes forgot herself. This was defiantly one of those times! She rounded a corner in the road, completely unaware of the looming figure that had just stepped out of a dark alleyway until too late. BAM! She ran head on into the person and tripped over their foot, pitching forward, falling fast toward the cobblestones, bracing herself for the impact. It never came. Instead, the person caught her by the waist and set her back down on her feet.

            ?Thank you, I?m so sorry, I????..? Ginny muttered, picking up her bag from where it had fallen on the street.

            ?It?s quite alright,? assured a deep, artistic voice.

            ?No, no it?s not, I?m such a klutz???? she said mumbled embarrassedly.

            ?I said it was fine,? said the voice with a hint of annoyance. ?Are you all right?? The boy tipped her chin up. ?Look at me,? the voice cajoled.

            ?Alright. But I assure you, I?m fine???..? her voice trailed off as she looked into the face of her rescuer.

            It was Draco Malfoy.

*******************

            Ginny was so shocked, it took a moment for her to register that her family?s worst enemy had his hands around her waist.

            ?Get your hands off of me!? she screeched, slamming her book bag against the side of his head. He pitched and reeled as she had done moments before, before losing consciousness and falling, hard, to the ground. His last thought, as he glimpsed her freckles and flaming blood-red hair before falling, was, ? A Weasley. Figures.?

********************

            A week later, Ginny rolled groggily out of her bed and picked up her hairbrush. Evaluating herself in her half-moon mirror, she decided at this point, not even her brush could help. Sighing resignedly she thumped down the stairs to breakfast.

            ?Morning, Ginny!? Her mom put a plate in front of Ginny. ?Eggs and sausage! Good for growing girls!? Involuntarily, Ginny looked down at her chest. She certainly had grown. Even her brothers, most of the time total zombies, had noticed the change in her.

            ?Mrs. Weasley!? caroled a deep voice from the doorway.

            ?Harry! Oh, my dear boy, how are you! And Hermione too! Well, sit down and prepare to be stuffed!? Mrs. Weasley bustled around the kitchen, cooking up a storm.

?Ginny , it?s great to see you.? Hermione flung her arms around her, and Ginny returned the embrace. They had become fast friends over the last year and now told each other everything.

            ?Hullo, Ginny,? murmured Harry. ?You?ve changed.

            ?You noticed!? said Ginny delightedly. ?How do you think I look??

            ?Hot!? exclaimed Harry, who was then hit over the head by Hermione, his girlfriend of two years. ?I mean that in a totally platonic way,? Harry reassured both of them.

            ?I?m so sure,? said Hermione sarcastically. ?Although, I must admit, you do look good Ginny!?

            ?Thanks.? About to say something, Ginny stopped mid-sentence, turning white as she glimpsed the headline on the paper Hermione had used to hit Harry with.

            DRACO MALFOY, SON OF THE PROMINENT LUCIUS MALFOY, VICIOUSLY ATTACKED BY AN UNKNOWN SUSPECT, IS CURRENTLY IN CRITICAL CARE AT THE WIZARDING HOSPITAL OF LONDON.

Ginny dropped her fork-full of eggs onto her plate, her mouth hanging wide open.

            ?Are you alright, Gin?? questioned Hermione.

            Without answering, Ginny pushed her chair away from the table, shot out the front door and began to run.

            Ginny stopped about a mile from her house and leaned up against a rock, breathing heavily. ?This can?t be happening,? she moaned. ?It just can?t. I didn?t mean to hurt him; I didn?t know that a fall down all of those alley steps could have hurt him that badly.? She knew that if Draco ever woke up and told them who had done this to him, she might go to wizarding jail. And if he didn?t???????? she would be a murderer. They would send her straight to Azkaban.

            She walked slowly back to the house, ignoring the beautiful summer evening surrounding her. ?There?s no way they could have known it was me. If he dies, he can?t ever tell them who did it!? So now I want him to die? Ginny thought this over. ?That?s just sick!?

            ?Ginny, are you all right?? it was Harry, who, having seen her from the window, had rushed out into the garden to check up on her.

            ?I?m fine Harry; I just have to floo myself somewhere.? 

            ?Are you sure you?re alright?? Harry worried. Ginny choked back a sob, remembering how Draco had said the same thing a week earlier. Tears stung the corners of her soft brown eyes.

            ?I?m?.I?m fine??..just go???go away!? and with that, Ginny turned and ran into the house, stopping quickly to lock the door behind her.

            Harry sat on the garden bench. ?What could be wrong with her?? he mused, fending of a garden gnome with a long stick. ?She is so different! In a good sort of way.? He remembered how beautiful she had been at breakfast that morning, with her beautiful face and sexy smile. ?Uh-oh.? thought Harry guiltily. ?I think I need to talk to Hermione.?

            Ginny grabbed a handful of floo powder, stubbing her toe on the side of the fireplace in her haste to escape Harry. ?Oh, God dammit!? she cried, hopping on one foot as she through the powder into the flames. They flared green and she catapulted herself into the fireplace, nearly losing her balance.

            ?Are you alright, Gin?? called Hermione from the living room.

            ?Oh no,? Ginny muttered. ?I better hurry before Hermione gets suspicious, too. The Wizarding Hospital of London, please!? she shouted.

**********

Narcissa leaned tearfully over Draco?s bedside. ?Oh, my baby,? she murmured softly. ?Please don?t leave me here. Without you life wouldn?t be worth living. Without you??? he?ll kill me.?

**********

            Ginny arrived in the hospital foyer just as the nurses were switching stations. She had to wait ten minutes for the new one to get situated before she could approach to ask about Draco. ?Excuse me, ma?am, but could you please help me??

            ?Sure, Hon,? sighed the witch distractedly. ?What would you like to know??

            ?Which room is Draco Malfoy in?? hesitated Ginny.

            ?Sorry, but we only allow family to visit, and you?..? she looked Ginny up and down, from her flaming red hair to her second rate shoes??.. ?Don?t look like a Malfoy.?

            ?I?m a cousin by marriage. My mother and father??..? Ginny searched for a plausible lie, ?married without the main family?s consent, so they were cut out of the inheritance.?

            The nurse looked a Ginny?s freckles suspiciously for a second before typing something into her computer. ?Mr. Malfoy is in room??..Ummmmm??666.?

            ?How fitting,? thought Ginny amusedly, before remembering she had been the one to put him there.

            ?Here is a portkey to the 7^th floor, where you will find the room,? droned the witch uninterestedly. ?It will automatically return you here what you hold it and say ?Main Desk?. Have a nice day, sweetie!?

            ?You too.? Ginny smiled sweetly. She hated when people called her that. That nurse couldn?t have been more than 3 years older than her. ?Oh, well, ?Ginny muttered, touching the portkey and being jerked up to the 7^th floor.

            Draco was running through a field, dodging patches of briars. Although the tree line seemed to begin only a few yards ahead of him, he couldn?t seem to reach it. He didn?t mind. It was a beautiful day for running; the sky was bright blue and the air was a bit on the chilly side, perfect for morning. The scene was so beautiful that he was compelled to sketch it, but he seemed to have misplaced his book. ?Oh, well,? he murmured before beginning to run again.

**********

            Ginny arrived at the 7^th floor and went to ask a secretary which direction Draco?s room was in.

            ?To your left,? replied the elderly secretary, a kind smile spreading across her face. ?Are you his girlfriend?? the nurse inquired. Ginny blushed crimson and scarlet, a shade similar to the color of her hair.

            ?Umm?? yes,? lied Ginny. Why not? It gave her a reason to be here, other than the real one.

            The secretary grinned at her again, before turning somber. ?I have to warn you, sweetie, he?s in pretty bad shape. Even magical magic has trouble with head wounds. You do know that a positive outcome is not probable??

            Ginny swallowed hard and whispered timidly, ?Yes.?

            ?Be strong, dearie. Pray for him. Only God can help him now.?

**************

            Harry gritted his teeth as he entered the house, preparing himself for another outburst from Ginny. It never came. The house was completely deserted. ?Well, at least that saves me an awkward conversation,? muttered Harry. But there was one other person he needed to talk to, and that person was currently reading in the back garden. Harry opened the screen door. ?Hermione,? he called hesitantly. ?We need to talk!?

**************

            Ginny walked down the deserted corridor towards room 666. Why was it so quiet? She couldn?t see another person in the hallway, except for an old wizard in a wheelchair. Although his eyes were rheumy, he seemed perfectly lucid. ?Pardon me, sir,? whispered Ginny politely. ?Why is it so quiet here??

            The old man gazed up at her through his milky white eyes and murmured, ?This is the place where those who have been given up on live out their lives. No one visits because no one who comes here ever gets better. It?s just a place to wait until death.? A tear rolled down his wrinkled cheek and landed on the book he held in shaky hands.

            Ginny was speechless. Not trusting herself to form the comforting words she knew he needed, she instead nodded and began to walk away, her heart growing heavier with each step.

            As she neared the room where Draco slept, her heart began to pound. She was about to enter when she saw a petite figure hunched over in the corner. The person was obviously crying, but was making no noise. Every few minutes, dry sobs would wrack their body.

            Ginny sobbed as well, but unlike the person in the chair, she made quite a bit of noise. The person looked up just as Ginny backed away from the door, but she was quite sure they hadn?t seen her.

            Ginny was in shock. The person sitting by Draco?s body was none other then Fleur Delacour.