Disclaimer - I own nothing you recognise.

Written for;

Fanfiction Marathon - GinnyDraco.

Multiship Challenge - Ginny Draco (Pancakes)

Easter Egg Hunt - Genre - Romance

University Scholarship - Emotion - Ecstatic.

Harry Potter Day - Trio Era and Not A Bad Word Count

WC without AN - 1,117

What Could She Do?

She didn't know how it happened. It could have been when she saw him sneaking a first year Hufflepuff out of the dungeons where detention was being held. It could have been the fear she saw in his eyes whenever his gaze met hers. It could have been when she saw a single tear drop to his cheek when he was ordered to cast the Cruciatus Curse on a fourth year girl. It could have been at any one of them moments, or any of the others that happened throughout the year.

At first, she'd held nothing but contempt for him. Hatred even, it could have been described as. He was one of them after all. It was partially his fault that Headmaster Dumbledore was dead. Partially his fault that Harry, Ron and Hermione were no longer at Hogwarts with her. Partially his fault that she and her classmates were being forced to live in fear for their lives on a daily basis.

She'd sneer at him in the hallways. She spat at him once, when he passed by her outside of a classroom. He was a spineless maggot, and he deserved all that was coming to him.

Except, when she saw him being harassed by the other Slytherins because he wasn't revelling in the torture of those from other houses, she felt sorry for him. As the year passed at an excruciating slow pace, she watched him slowly disappear. No more was he the arrogant, slimy Pure-blood who love to taunt and bully others. He was sickly looking, kept his head down, tried to vanish into the stone walls of the school.

He was alone more often than not, and she'd seen him hiding behind random shelves in the library as his 'friends' passed by, no longer interested in him now that his parents were no longer in favour. She remembered seeing the fear on his face when the rumour spread that Lucius Malfoy had lost any and all influence he had once possessed.

Draco Malfoy was alone and scared, and that appealed to her compassionate side.

Neville thought she'd gone mental, and told her as much. What could she do? Was she to leave him helpless and alone, even when they, the DA, had promised themselves that they would help anyone who needed it, as much as they were able? Was she to ignore the pleading voice when she passed by the empty classroom and saw three Slytherin's standing over him, wands in their hands as they laughed at him?

What could she do, that wouldn't make her as bad as those she was fighting? She helped him.

xxxx

"You don't love me any more, do you?"

The question wasn't accusatory, and Harry's voice was gentle and accepting. She later wondered if he'd known before she did.

"I do love you, Harry. I always will," she told him, a sad smile on her lips as she looked at him. "But I'm not in love with you."

"It's alright, Ginny. We've all changed. It's been a long year," he assured her, pulling her to his chest for a hug. It was a comforting hug, the type you would expect from an older brother, and Ginny was okay with that. When Harry released her, he gestured to Ron and Hermione.

"I promised I'd go and see them when we were done. I think they're planning on telling me they finally got their act together," he said with a small chuckle, rolling his eyes. Her smile widened into a grin. She was happy for her brother, and really, it was about time.

"Harry, are we..."

"We're good. I'm kinda pissed that I've been dumped for Draco bloody Malfoy though."

Her shock must have materialised on her face, because he laughed again. "You didn't think Neville would keep that to himself, did you?"

xxxx

"My Father will be going back to Azkaban," He said quietly, sitting by her side under the largest tree by the lake.

She nodded. "As he should," she murmured. "He did some terrible things, and he deserves to be punished for them."

He was quiet for a few moments, before he nodded. "He did, and he does. I... I don't know what's going to happen to me."

"Harry will speak for you," Ginny told him with a certainty she believed in. Harry had already informed her that he would be at the majority of the trials. "He plans to speak for your mother, as well. She saved his life."

"I know, she told me this morning. She did it for me, you know."

Ginny nodded. "I know. Harry does too. It makes no difference."

Draco sighed. "Potter not put a ring on your finger yet?" he asked, and she could hear the bitterness in his voice, no matter that he tried to mask it.

"Nope, and he won't. We're not getting back together."

"Oh?" This time he didn't even try to mask his feelings, and the faint hope made her smile slightly. She'd wondered, throughout the year, if he'd returned her growing feelings. His actions had said he did, but she'd never been one to trust easily, and certainly hadn't been about to do it for him.

"Do you, I mean, is there... someone else?" he asked after a minute of uneasy silence.

"Perhaps," she said non-committally. "I'm hungry, will you accompany me to the kitchens?" she asked, standing up and wiping the grass from her faded jeans.

He nodded, standing and spelling away and grass marks that might have stained his robes. She rolled her eyes at him. "I fancy pancakes," she murmured, as they walked companionably back towards the injured castle.

xxxx

"I can't believe you're making me do this," he muttered, wiping sweaty hands on the sides of his robes.

She laughed. "Draco, we've been dating for eleven months. Did you really think you'd get away with not coming to a family dinner? Besides, my parents seemed to like you."

"It's not your parents I'm worried about," he replied, before muttering something under his breath about 'millions of brothers.'

"If you survive this, I'll let you put that rock you've been carrying around on my finger," she told him, smiling as the surprised look on his face morphed into an ecstatic smile.

"I love you, Ginny Weasley."

"I love you. Now let's go. My mother will do worse to us than my brothers ever could if we're late."