A/N: Wow, I churned out this chapter really quick. Hahaha, you might want to shoot me at the end, leaving the goooood stuff for next chapter. And there is goooood stuff coming, in this chapter, and new character (mine, not JKR's), inching a little bit closer to some Draco/Ginny action. But it will get better. I promise. I'm just building to a terrific twist, winky, winky. Thanks to LaughingGasGirl for reviewing like a good little reader should. Review por-favor, mis amigos! Oh yeah, and e-mail me if you want to! I lurve getting e-mail. My addy is brianna@givepeaceachance.com

Chapter VII- Game Of Love

"tell me/just what you want me to be/one kiss/and boom you're the only one for me/so please tell me why/you don't come around no more/because right now I'm crying outside the door/of your candy store/'cause it takes a little bit of this/a little bit of that/it started with a kiss/and now we're off track/a little bit of laughs/a little bit of pain/it's all in this game of love…"

Santana featuring Michelle Branch, Game of Love

Hermione wrote another letter to Harry, saying their relationship couldn't be under the category of "romantic". When Harry received it, sitting alone in his flat, trying to catch up on some work. He read it carefully, over and over again, trying to make sure his brain was interpreting it correctly.

"I bet he sent her flowers and chocolates and begged for her to take him back." he said, crumpling the parchment with her neat handwriting. He sighed and slouched down in his chair.

"I don't ever want to hear Ron say 'I always get the raw deal!' again. He got Hermione, and what do I end up with? An empty flat, and an aching heart." He thought. He needed someone to talk to. But who? On his desk was a letter from a pen friend he had ever since he was in his 5th year.

"Gwen! She'll know, and she'll help."

Gwen was a student at Beaxubantons. They had been sending each other letters on and off over the years and became quite close friends. Gwen lived in Paris, France. She was an artist for the muggles as well as wizards. Harry had a few of her paintings hang on his walls. He quickly grabbed is money bag and apperated. He ended up at the top Montmartre, just outside of Paris. She lived on the 5th floor of the red apartment building. He mounted the stairs and began to climb. He hoped she was home. He knocked quickly on her door, number 45-F. The door opened to a small woman in a painters smock. He long blonde curly hair was held back in a braid, with frizzy curls popping out every which way.

"Harry! What 're you doing 'ere?" Her accented English stood out like a sore thumb.

"I need someone to talk to. Are you busy?" He ask, wringing his hands together.

"Oh no. I was just trying to get zome inspiration…." She trailed off, going into the small kitchen, "Would you like something to drink Harry?" she asked, leaning on the open refrigerator door.

"Do you have any wine?" He asked, needing some alcoholic distraction.

"Of course. 'Hat sort of French woman would I be with out wine?" She laughed, and brought out a tall bottle of deep red wine, and two wine glasses.

"Thanks, Gwen."

"So, 'hat is your problem?" She asked, after taking her first drink.

"Well, you know Hermione Granger, right?"

"She is your best friends, yes?"

"Yeah, well, Ron went to study in America, and he made a promise to stay faithful to her. But he just came back and he got his eyebrow pierced, cut his hair, and got a tattoo of the Gryffindor lion on his arm." he said.

"Alright, now what does thiz all have to do with you?"

"Hermione got upset, because he had changed to much. She was sure that he broke his promise. So she needed some to understand her…and well, I've had these….feelings for her, for quite a while. I was to shy to tell her. So, she was upset, and I well, kissed her. I was scared she didn't feel the same way. But then, she kissed me back. And she said that she didn't want to be with Ron. She wanted to be with me. But I just got this letter from her that said she changed her mind. I'm so confused. I know Ron just came in there and swept her off her confused feet and offered her the moon and the stars. Things he can't give her." He finished his out pour of emotions, keeping his face blank, as always.

"Oh, Harry. I am zo zorry. I can ze why you're upset." She smiled at him from her stool, near her half painted canvas.

"I need, I don't know what I need."

"A vacation, perhaps?"

"Yeah, I need a vacation. A vacation from Hermione and Ron, wallowing in their bliss."

"So you can wallow in your own pity?" Gwen said.

Harry sat stunned. "My own pity?"

"Harry, the only way to make yourself feel better about thiz whole situation is to, well, forget about it. I know it zounds, well, stupid. But I don't know what else to zay. Try to be 'appy for your friendz. Try to be civil with Ron. Try to be normal with Hermione. I know it'z not what you want to do, but Harry what other choices do you have? 'Othing, unless you want to ruin your friendships that I know you hold zo dear."

Harry sat a minute, drinking his wine slowly.

"I know your right, Gwen. It'll be hard, but there is no other option."

"I know Hermione broke your heart, and Ron burned your anger, but don't let little sins totally change your life."

"I still want them to be my friends. I still want them in my life. It's all in the game of love. I mean it was like, one kiss, and boom, she was the only one for me. It was like I was a kid, waiting outside the door of her candy store. Like, I got a free sample, and didn't have enough money to buy the whole product."

" Oh Harry, you know it wasn't like that. You know Hermione would never just bait you on. Harry, why don't you stay here for a while? Do you have to be at work tomorrow? Why don't you take tomorrow off and you can be a tourist with me? I've lived here for a year, and I still haven't been to Le Louvre!"

"Your kidding me? I thought that would be the first place you went!"

"No, not really. I was to busy juggling school, work, billz, painting. Trying to "keep afloat", I think you would zay." She smiled, remembering the coined phrase.

"Yeah. Exactly." Harry said drinking his last gulp of wine.

Ginny sat in the lounge, running a hand though her dishelmed hair.

"Is this a date, or just something crazy that only Draco Malfoy would do? Or am I just going off the deep end, and dreamed him asking me on a date. I know I wanted it…Wait! What? I didn't want him to ask me on date! For Merlin's sake, Virginia, he's a Malfoy. He hates your family. He hates Harry. He hates Hermione. What is my problem???" Ginny questioned her self, her head in her hands. Was she really going mad? She looked at her watch with now said, where the 6 would be, there was the words "Date with Draco"

"IS ISN'T A DATE!" she screamed at her watch, but the begrudging words didn't move. She groaned and rubbed her temples. Hermione was still at her lab. Ginny realized she was still in her strict business suit, and she went up to hr room to change her clothes to her favorite pair of old, comfortably worn blue jeans and an old shirt of Ron's that she stole from him several years ago.

"Well if he wanted to get to know Ginny Weasley, he'll get to know me, minus the pinstripe suits and stiletto shoes." She smiled proudly at her messy appearance, and wondered what Draco would say when she walked into the pub.

Draco sat at the pub, examining the tiny scrubbed table meant for two. He had changed his clothe as well. He was wearing stylish jeans with a light blue button up shirt, closed half way up, with a tight white tank top underneath. He drummed his fingers, impatiently waiting for her.

"Why am I being so anxious for? It's only Ginny. She's only a Weasley. But you did ask her out on a date… It's not a date it's a 'meeting'….Your not a the publishing company, so it's a date! I hate her family, I hate her friends, so why don't I hate her?!" His mind was wandering, creating and internal conflict. The bell over top of the door to the bar jiggled, heralding someone's entrance. He looked up quickly only to find two winkled old witches with gold slippers on their tired elderly feet and bright red lick stick gracing their would-be-young lips. He drummed his fingers some more.

"She's late." he thought bitterly. He hated to be kept waiting. Seconds ticked past, although they seemed like hours to Draco. Was he waiting just to see her porcelain cheeks, her pink lips, her impractical shoes, her fiery hair, left forgotten among her beauty?

"Beauty?" He asked himself like he was crazy. That same moment, the bell jiggled merrily once more, only to reveal the subject of his wandering thoughts. Her cheeks looked flushed pink, like she ran here.

"Why doesn't she just apperate?" he asked himself.

"Sorry I'm late. I lost track of time…" She smiled and sat down at the seat across from him at the table. Her hair was pulled into a lose pony tail.

"Nice to see you dressed up for occasion!" Draco said sarcastically, motion to her outfit.

"You said you wanted to get to know me better. I don't always dress in business suits. She said matter-of-factly.

"That's true."

"It's good to see you don't always wear three piece suits." She smiled at his casual dress, the tight undershirt showing off his defined chest, making her feel silly for staring so obviously.

"Would you like to apperate right now?" he asked her, standing up, his 6'3'' frame towering over her 5'2''.

"Sure, let's go." She smiled at his shyly, as he took her hand, and they both apperated to his apartment in West Hogsmeade.