Last time, when we left our poker players, Draco and Ginny were having a, uh, friendly little discussion about their respective assets… take that how you will.

Sorry it's been awhile… A HUGE case of writer's block. Also, fanfiction.net does not like me for some reason. Anyway, I hope to finish this story soon, only one or two chapters left to go. Just out of curiosity, would anyone be interested in a sequel? I don't think they will actually get together in this story, but I was thinking that Ginny should at least attempt to get Draco back for this situation… thoughts? comments? ideas?

Anyway, I don't own any of these marvelous characters or the Harry Potter series or, lets face it, you'd still be waiting for the first book. : )

Draco drew himself up at the possibility of making dear Virginia even more uncomfortable…if that was even possible. Trying for an air of nonchalance, he reached for the cards in front of him. Picking them up, he noticed his hand…two jacks, a ten and a pair of threes. Naturally. A good hand when he didn't want to win… 'Wonder what the Weasley has?' he asked himself. 'Easy enough to find out.'

One pair. She had a pair of fours. How was he supposed to lose his shirt if she didn't have the right hand!!!

Draco thought for a minute. She had dealt, so she had to wait for him to decide how many cards he wanted. That would give him a crucial minute. Hmmmm… what to do… He could put down one of his pairs, and let her win, but it would look suspicious if he were to bet his shirt on a pair of threes, unless…

Draco had to give himself a pat on the back for his stroke of genius. He had arranged the spell so that he could control the cards that were to come up…what if he was to help her instead of himself? But, the problem was, how many cards would she take???? He couldn't guarantee a winning hand if she didn't pick up the right number of cards…but still, the idea had merit…now, what cards to give her…

"Uh, Draco,"

"Hmmm?" he asked, looking up quickly. Big mistake. Looking into those wide eyes of hers, Draco felt bad for doing this to her. Bad, but not quite bad enough to forfeit the game and hand over the toad.

"How many?"

Shaking himself, he held up two fingers. As she busied herself with his cards, he unobtrusively arranged to help her win this hand.

Ginny was surprised at Draco's agitation. Despite always seeming in control of his emotions, something seemed to have gotten the better of him. His face didn't show it, but his hands weren't still, constantly tapping the table with his fingers.

Handing over Draco's cards, Ginny helped herself to two. Looking down at her hand, she almost was unable to contain her excitement. She had picked up a four. Not only a four, but a jack, giving her a full house. Draco couldn't have anything better!

Draco looked at his hand. It now contained a pair of threes and a pair of tens…nothing that wasn't respectable, but nothing that was spectacular either.

"Shall we start the bidding then?"

Draco looked up at Ginny. Her tone was neutral, bored even, but her eyes gleamed a little brighter than usual.

'You're welcome, Virginia', he drawled to himself, mentally tipping his head in her direction.

"Very well. I want the skirt."

'No!' Ginny looked at him, gaze unwavering. "Fine, then I want the robe and shirt."

'Perfect.' "No, I'm afraid I can't approve that. A skirt just isn't worth two items of my clothing…even if it is yours."

Ginny chewed on her bottom lip. It was a good hand, but not worth risking her bra on. She didn't really want to be sitting in her underwear, in a secluded room, with the devil himself. A gorgeous sex-god devil, for certain, but still a devil. Perhaps she could sweet talk him…or better yet, goad him into risking it without having to chance any more of her own clothing.

"Are you that worried about your hand? If you were sure about your 'superior' poker skills, you'd be willing to take such a small risk. Then again, if your scared that you'll end up naked, well then…" she left the implication hanging in the air.

Draco looked at her, humor in his eyes and one corner of his mouth lifted in a smile. "If you were sure about your poker skills, you'd bet another article of clothing, instead of trying to push me into a rash decision by insulting my courage. We Slytherins may be many things, but rash was never one of them."

'Damn'

"However, since I clearly am the better poker player," Draco continued, ignoring Ginny's snort of protest, "I'll go easy on you. My shirt and robe, against your skirt, tie, and hair."

"My hair?" Ginny understood the tie and, in fact, forgotten that she was wearing it (as did the author!). The hair, though, was a mystery. Surely he didn't expect her to cut it off! Ginny raised her hands to cover her braid. Sure, her hair was an awful red, but,… it was still her hair!

"No, Virginia. I don't want your hair. What use would I have for it? If, no, when I win, you have to take out the braid. Deal?"

Ginny paused for a moment, then nodded her agreement. If she had to take out her hair, at least she could hide behind it as she died from mortification.

Draco paused at the thought of all that long hair caressing Virginia's shoulders, and wondered for a moment if he really did want to lose this hand. She always kept her hair pulled back, but he firmly believed the sight of it down would make a saint have impure thoughts.

Draco was far from sainthood.

"So what do you have?"

They both lay their cards down at the same time, and Ginny breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed she would keep her skirt on….at least for the moment. She wasn't forming any predictions about what the rest of the night would bring.

Determined to make Draco as uncomfortable as she was, at least while she could, Ginny leaned back in her chair and propped her feet on the edge of the table. Crossing her feet at the ankles, and her arms over her chest, Ginny looked challengingly at the boy.

"Well? Please don't hesitate on my account."

Standing up, Draco met Ginny's gaze. Holding fast to it, he reached up and undid the clasp on his robe. As it slid off his shoulders, he reached for the cuffs on his sleeves, and undid them with a practiced flip of a thumb and forefinger.

Flip. One cuff undone.

Flip. Second cuff undone.

Never pausing, Draco calmly pulled his shirt tails out of his trousers. Long, lean fingers came to rest on the collar of his shirt. Raising his eyebrows slightly, he undid the first button. In slow motion, he moved on to the second button, spreading the shirt as he went.

Ginny had no illusions that Draco was going slow because he was shy. Instead, he seemed to be doing it for affect, drawing out the moment, bringing stripping to an art form.

And it was an art form, Ginny was honest enough to admit. If he didn't already have a fortune, he could have made a living just taking off his clothes, slowly, seductively, a button at a time. White shirt giving way to pale skin, stretched taunt over smooth muscle, dusted lightly with blond hair.

Ginny felt her mouth go dry and hoped her jaw wasn't hanging open, not that she had the power of mind to close it even if it was. 'Wow, who knew Quidditch was such a workout! Look at those muscles!'

Draco couldn't help but notice Ginny's reaction, would have to be dead not to notice, not to appreciate it. He knew that he looked good, years of training both on and off the Quidditch field had left flat abs, broad shoulders and a narrow waist. It didn't hurt either that the pale blond hair on his chest shimmered in the firelight, giving the appearance of a fine sheen of sweat covering his upper torso. No, it didn't hurt at all.

Ginny probably would have agreed……if she was capable of thought at the moment.

Noting Ginny's bemused expression, and that her eyes had yet to leave his chest, Draco got a wicked idea. Calmly, as if he spent most evenings without a shirt on (A/N author does not wish to speculate if he actually does), Draco turned around and draped his cloak over the back of his chair, giving Ginny a enticing glimpse at shoulder muscles that rippled when he moved, a back that was, dare she think it, ripped. All of this topped off by a pair of trousers that hung low, and fit just a little too well.

Unhurriedly, he lowered himself into a chair. Hooking his ankle over his left knee, Draco leaned back and simply looked at Ginny. It was just as he suspected all along. That cute little blush extended from the top of her head and spread towards her breasts, fading slightly as it went.

Catching her eyes, Draco lifted his eyebrows and assumed what he believed was a knowing smirk.

"Like what you see, Virginia? Griffyndor not have much of a selection then?"

Quickly, Ginny swiped her feet off the table, and scooted her chair closer to the table.

"Uh, no! Of course not!"

"Oh, I see. Batting for the other team, are we?"

"What, huh..? Oh no! I mean, it's a very nice, I mean, aesthetically pleasing chest, uh… and I do like boys, ..but…um…."

Uncrossing his legs and leaning forward, chin resting in his cupped hands, "But what?"

"But you're not my type!" Ginny finished triumphantly, pleased she was able to come up with a plausible reason why she couldn't be attracted to Draco…now she just had to convince herself of it.

"Why Virginia," Draco replied, in mock surprise. "What does type have to do with you were staring at my chest. Unless, of course there is another reason behind it."

'Damn it!' thought the girl.

'Yes!' thought the boy.

"Well, uh, you see…I,…" Ginny stuttered, wondering how and when she had lost complete control of the conversation.

Unperturbed, Draco leaned forward, standing slightly, bringing him within inches of Ginny. Ginny inhaled sharply, looking into the blonde's eyes. To her horror, her tongue darted out and wet her lower lip.

Cocking one eyebrow, and allowing himself a small smile, Draco leaned even closer as Ginny's eyes started to flutter shut. When he was within inches of her, Draco grabbed her hand, and pulled it towards him….

…and set the deck of cards in it. Smiling, he sank back in his chair. "Well, shall we deal the next hand?"

Tune in next time, for the final hand.

Will Ginny end up completely naked? Will Draco?

Will Ginny find out Draco's been cheating? Or will he have a sudden attack of conscience?

Honestly….I'm not sure yet. I'll let you know when I decide!