"Did Draco walk you all the way to class?" Luna whispered to Ginny half way through the lesson.
"Yeah, I guess. He told me he was going to Herbology," Ginny whispered back.
"I see, so he wanted to walk you to class but told you he was going to Herbology so he wouldn't be embarrassed," Luna smiled.
"Oi you two, pay attention!" Hagrid shouted over his shoulder in their direction. He attempted to be stern, he didn't like to show favourites, but he was grinning. "Sorry, professor!" Luna went back to feeding her Flobberworm.
As Ginny made her way across the grounds to Transfiguration with the rest of her class, she saw some of the sixth years walking over to the greenhouses, pulling their cloaks around them. Ginny waved at Hermione, but avoided Harry's eyes. Then, following a little further behind was Draco. He looked up at Ginny and went slightly pink in the cheeks. Ginny was shocked, Draco had always been so pale. She rolled her eyes at him, laughing slightly.
Draco looked away, embarrassed. He thought she might have seen him walking back to the school, but now she knew for sure he had been lying about going to Herbology for his first lesson. He lifted his head a little and saw Ginny laughing at him, then running to join another Gryffindor.
He entered the greenhouse and took his place next to Crabbe and Pansy.
"What's up with you?" Hissed Crabbe.
"Nothing." Draco said, Crabbe would never understand. Draco got out all his notes and sat down on his stool. He didn't bother to listen to Professor Sprout, instead he scribbled on a piece of parchment, nothing in particular, he wasn't focusing on what he was drawing. Instead he was thinking about Ginny, as usual.
"Draco. I have a question" Draco looked to his right, Pansy was staring at him, her eyebrows were pulled together in a frown.
"What?" Draco asked her.
"Why did you save that Weasley girl during that Quidditch match? Why are you such good friends all of a sudden?" She wasn't speaking very quietly. But it wasn't her usual shout, at least. Draco noticed Potter and Ronald Weasley staring at them.
"That's none of your buissness, Pansy." Draco scowled at her.
"I know but we're all so curious! The only thing special about her is that she can fly! She's not rich or pretty or popular," Pansy looked at him angrily.
"You shut up about her, Parkinson." Draco said, and turned away from her.
"You can hardly talk, Parkinson! you're not pretty, you have the face of a pug! and everyone hates you!" Hermione Granger hissed at Pansy, defending one of her best friends.
"Oh shut up, mudblood." Pansy said to her, waving her away. Suddenly both Potter and Ronald Weasley were up in their seats.
"Shut up Parkinson! You can't talk about my sister or my best friend like that!" Weasley shouted.
"Ginny and Hermione could easily curse you before you could even get out your wand, Parkinson." Potter said, slightly more calmly than Ronald.
"Enough shouting over there! Focus on your work!" Professor Sprout's voice came from the other side of the green house. Harry and Ron took there seats again, whilst Hermione and Pansy scowled at each other.
"See what I mean, Draco?" Pansy whispered, "She hangs out with scum like these three, why would you ever have a crush on Ginny Weasley!?" Potter's head snapped up. Draco glared at Pansy, shoved his notes back into his bag and walked out the green house.
Draco walked into the school, fuming. He intended to go to the library and do his defence against the dark arts homework, but as he was walking up the stairs he passed Ginny, who was on her way down. "Where have you been?" He asked her, stopping.
