Disclaimer is in the Prologue.

To snog or not to snog, that is the question.

The sun disappeared and returned, once more lighting Hogwarts and with morning came breakfast. And with breakfast came mail. And with mail came Draco's usual package from home. And with Draco's package came a letter from his father, sealed with the Malfoy crest in a black envelope, written on black paper with unicorn blood for ink. Draco could tell his father's mood from his ink. Red ink, for good moods or lowly letters or people who knew his father more by money than by personality, dragon's blood for letters for family friends, and unicorn blood, the most expensive, for angry letters and important letters to those in the "group". This letter was definitely no good. He pocketed it, finished breakfast then went to make his annoyance on Potter's group with his presence at Virginia's side.

That evening, after he had finished classes and was lying in his bed with the curtains drawn he opened the letter from home. He could hear his father's voice echoing in his head as he read:

Really Draco, I expected more of you. Not only were you associating with a Weasley but you are now dating one! If I didn't have any dignity I would send you a howler. If you do not stop this nonsense I will be sending a curse with your next package, and the next, and the next. I expect that the next thing I hear about you will be much better than this. Just because a muggle born girl is better than you in every subject, doesn't mean you have to start loving them. First Muggle Studies, now this! You're fast becoming a muggle lover. Your mother has never been more ashamed in her life. Her friends have disowned her because of your insolent, ungrateful behavior which they assume is because of your upbringing. You better change your ways now, or I'll see to it that you do. The Dark Lord will never accept the person that you're becoming.

It was unsigned and sighing, Draco unrolled a fresh piece of parchment, unscrewed a bottle of ink and began to write his reply:

I will not stop this so called nonsense and I'll tell you why. I have already told you that Muggle Studies was so that I could learn as much as I could about Muggles to terrorize them from within.

-yeah right, he had taken Muggle studies because it was supposed to be an easy elective and it would annoy his father-

 And as for Ginny, if you used her as a tool in one of your plots, why can't I? That's all she is, a tool, this time being used to annoy Potter. Our supposed relationship does not only bother you, but also Potter and his friends. As for your allies, salutations and you can show them this letter if you like. So sorry that you wasted some of your best ink.

Draco

He wiped the ink off his quill and placed it back in his nightstand drawer, then folded the letter. He made his way to the owlery, meeting up with a red head on the way.

"Hello," Ginny said.

"Hello," he replied.

"What's that?"

"Just a letter home."

"Oh." She looked down at her feet and he found his screech owl and tied the letter to its leg.

"Well, good night."

"Good night," she replied, and with a swish of waist length red hair, she was gone.

The Gryfinndor common room was packed, as usual, with cracking heat from the fire as well as students finishing homework and playing games like exploding snap. Ginny saw Harry and Ron occupied with chess while Hermione sat nearby, stroking her cat and immersed in a book. As she walked by Ron's hand reached out to grasp her ankle.

"Where were you?" he growled.

"The owlery."

"Why?"

"To send a letter, what else do you do there?"

"Snog Malfoy."

"Augh! Who are you my mother?"

"No, I'm your brother, but I could act like mother, or write to her."

"Ron, leave her alone," she heard Hermione say.

"And find her knocked up by him! I think not…"

"Ron, I'm smarter than that, and you know."

"Really? As of yesterday I'm not so sure…"

"Will you just open your eyes a little? I'm not a baby any more."

"You're still my baby sister," he said quietly. His silence following was more disturbing than his shouts and Ginny pulled her leg away from him to go up to her room.

"How'd your brothers take it?" he asked her as they sat by the lake, leaning against a tree with her legs spread across his lap for public display.

"Ron was a bit over-protective, but he knows that he'll just have to accept it. Fred and George thought I was up to something and remained amazingly quite while conveying that they suspected I was up to something─ which isn't a lie. Mum and Dad don't know yet I'm guessing, and therefore neither will Percy, Bill, or Charlie," she said as he rubbed her leg in mock-affection, "Have you heard from your parents?"

            "My father wrote yesterday, expressing disappointment at my decision and telling me to break up with you immediately, which of course isn't going to happen. I wrote home explaining everything. Oh, don't worry," he added seeing her face, "he won't tell anyone. He'll be pleased to know that I am plotting against the greater good."

            "Would he call it that?"

            "No, I would call it that." She caught his gaze and smiled warmly. He averted his eyes to the splash of a large tentacle in the lake.

            "I have something for you."

            "I hardly think-"

            "You needn't think." He pulled a velvet box out of his cloak pocket. It was the same box he had hidden in his trunk at the end of the summer.

            "Draco…" She locked eyes with him as he pushed the box into her hands.

            "Draco…" She opened it. "It's beautiful!" He watched a wave of surprise pass over his face. He delicately hooked the chain around her neck, the moon colored scale glaring at him in the sunlight. "Thank you," she whispered.

            "I assume your name fits you at this moment, Virginia."

            "Pardon?"

            "Virginia."

            "Oh," she exclaimed, realizing his meaning and blushed, "Yes, it does."

            "I'm not going to take that away from you. I would have too much to deal with if I did."

            "But you said you would teach me how to seduce…"

            "That I will, but as for the rest…I think it's best if I leave that to you for fear of the Weasley males."

            "They ruin everything don't they," she giggled.

            "Ruin? Who?"

            "The Weasley males of course. No one can have any fun when they're around." He smiled weakly to please her. "You don't smile enough."

            "I don't see any reason to."

            "C'mon, just try it."

            "I don't have a reason to. It's not like I have cute dimples like you." He put his thumb on the spot on her left cheek where he knew her dimple would be. She smiled and indeed, it was. He could smell the vanilla, seeming to encircle him and draw him closer to her. His nose was almost a centimeter from hers when he realized how close they were and pulled back. "What class do you have?"

            "Wh- oh, um… Herbology."

            "Shall I walk you there?"

            "Yes please."