Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize from anything Harry Potter or Buffy the Vampire Slayer anything. They are the property of the amazingly, wonderfully talented J.K Rowling and Joss Whedon, and assorted other people. That is all.

Author's note: Okay, so there's a lot more swearing in this chapter than there has been. In fact, this chapter probably has more 'curse words' in it, than the ones in the rest of the chapters combined. So just a heads up, near the end, cover your virgin ears, if in fact, they still remain that way, and you want them to. So onward-ho!

One Saturday night at a little after midnight, Ginny's doorbell rang, as she was getting ready for bed.

'Harry! Door!' she called out, but when she remembered that he wasn't home, she bounded down the stairs to reveal her midnight visitor.

When Ginny opened the door, she found Ryan, a colleague of hers standing on the doorstep.

'Ryan! What are you doing here? It's almost one in the morning you know,' Ginny said, unsuccessfully trying to hide a large yawn.

'Nice attire,' Ryan said as he gave her a long look from head to toe, pausing on parts pf Ginny's body that were particularly attractive to him.

Ginny also looked down at her clothes. She was wearing a white sports bra and loose grey shorts. 'Well, I was getting ready for bed.'

Ryan started to shift nervously from foot to foot, as Ginny looked past him into the night. The streetlights around her house were broken so Ginny could hardly see a thing.

'Speaking of bed, what are you doing around here at this time of night?' Ginny asked as she leaned against the doorjamb, clearly indicating that she was not going to be inviting Ryan to step inside any time soon.

'I was patrolling,' Ryan said as he held up a stake. 'But I was walking by your house, and saw that some of your lights were on, and decided to take the chance that you were awake. I had something to ask you, so I decided to stop by.'

'What did you want to ask?' Ginny inquired.

'I was wondering, that is if you're not busy, if you wanted to do something with me?'

'Hunh?'

'Y'know, go out.'

It took awhile for Ginny to comprehend what she was hearing. 'Are you asking me out on a date?'

'Yes.'

'Oh, I'm flattered, but-'

Ryan interrupted her. 'I really like you, and I think you'd really like me if you gave me a chance. I've wanted to do this for a long time and I think we'd be really great together.' Ryan stopped as he realized that he was babbling.

'Look Ryan, I really am flattered. But I can't go out with you.'

'Why not? Am I not your type or something?' Ryan said sarcastically, while crossing his arms.

'No, no!' Ginny shook her head vehemently. 'Under normal circumstances, I would totally go out with you, but I have a boyfriend.'

'Yeah, right. That's just some shit you made up to let me down easy.'

'No, it's not! I really do already have a boyfriend.'

'Then why haven't I ever heard you mention him at work?'

Ginny mirrored his position, crossing her arms and staring levelly. 'Because I tend not to bring my personal life to my professional life.'

Ryan sighed. 'Anyone I know?'

'Draco Malfoy.'

At the mention of Draco's name, Ryan burst out laughing. 'Draco Malfoy is your boyfriend? Are you delusional? Ginny, let me level with you. Draco is no more your boyfriend than Harry or I am.'

'What are you talking about?' Ginny asked, looking completely clueless.

'Nothing, but then I guess you guys must have a pretty open relationship.'

'What?'

'Oh, I see where this is headed. So I'll put your little 'relationship' in other terms. He's playing you! Draco is dating other girls.'

'He would never!'

'I'm afraid he is. Let me prove it. I'll ask you a question, and be honest. Where is Draco right now?'

'He's on a business trip.'

'Really? That's the oldest line in the book. A business trip you say? Well, he's lying to you. I know that for a fact, and I also know that he is on no such business trip.'

'You know, bitterness is really not a good look for you. Just because my refusal made you unhappy doesn't mean that you can take your bad karma out on everyone else.' Then realizing that Ryan may not be making everything up, Ginny walked over to him until they stood nose to nose. 'How do you know?'

Ryan backed away so he could breathe. 'Because before my shift, I was at that Muggle club Mudpuddle, and I saw him wrapped around and acting all cozy with some hot blonde girl I remember being in Slytherin at Hogwarts. You're not his only girl Ginny.'

'But she could just be a friend! Did you ever think of that? And therefore all he was doing was being warm and friendly,' Ginny protested. Shivers ran through her body, despite the fact that it was quite warm outside.

'When you're friendly with someone, do you stick your tongue down their throat? If so, then sure, he was acting pretty fucking friendly. But despite everything, he still lied to you.'

Ginny could not believe what she was hearing. In a daze, she shut the door in Ryan's face and didn't heed the protests coming from the other side of the wood. Several tears leaked out and made their warm way down her cheeks, leaving glinting silver trails. Ginny turned and walked into her laundry room where she sat on the floor and leaned her head against the thumping washing machine. She had always felt that the motion of the washer was therapeutic.

'Well,' Ginny reflected, 'Dad did always say to never trust a Malfoy.'

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Draco bounded up the walk to Ginny's house, glad that the night was over. It was so tiring having to pretend that he was a Deatheater and actually interested in what Voldemort's female minions had to say. He just wanted to go to sleep with Ginny in his arms. And if she asked what he was doing back, he would just have to tell her that his trip was cut short.

Opening the door, Draco was surprised to see that most of the lights were on, considering the time. 'Ginny?' he called out, and hearing no response, headed up to her room. Reaching it, Draco found the door to be locked. 'Gin? Why's the door locked?' Not hearing an answer, Draco started to get worried. Knocking on the door, he said, 'Ginny, are you okay?'

'Why are you here?' her muffled voice came from behind the door.

Knowing this question was coming, Draco replied with his previously thought- up answer. 'Because my trip was cut short, and because I missed you so much, rather than going back to my place, I came here.'

'Wrong answer.'

Draco was confused, and so tried another route. 'Because you're my girlfriend.'

Draco heard a small click, and then Ginny opened the door to look at him. 'Another wrong answer, even worse than the first. And it's ex-girlfriend. As of now, I'm your ex-girlfriend.'

Draco stared at her tear-ravaged face, unable to respond to her statement.

Gathering up some courage, Ginny asked angrily, ' So, how was your 'business trip''?

'We wrapped things up quickly, and so I came back early like I told you. But otherwise it was fine, why? Are you okay?' Draco replied warily.

'What the fuck do you think?' she spat out.

'Okay, I can see that you're upset. What's wrong?' Draco asked gently. Ginny just looked at him.

'Oh god, this isn't one of those 'if you don't know, I'm not going to tell you', is it?'

This statement made Ginny angrier. 'I think you know what you did.'

Draco looked at her blankly. 'No, actually I don't.'

Ginny's face took on a hard, cold expression. 'There's a name for people like you, Draco. Lying asshole. Now get out of my house.'

'No. I'm not leaving until you tell me what I did, and why you're suddenly my ex-girlfriend. Trust me, if I did something so bad that it would cause you to break up with me, I would remember it.'

Ginny stepped out into the hall, causing Draco to step back against the wall. 'Don't act like such a fucked-up innocent Draco. I can't believe that you can stand there, look me in the eye and lie to me.'

As Draco got more confused, his temper also started to flare. He had just wanted to fall asleep with his girlfriend, but instead was on the end of a proverbial shotgun held by one Virginia Weasley. 'Ginny, I'm not lying. I don't know what I did to make you so angry. How can you act like this when I clearly have no idea what you're talking about, and I am not, repeat NOT lying to you. So who's the fucked up innocent now?'

'Don't you dare turn this around on me.' Ginny prodded him in the chest with a finger. 'I'm not the one who screwed up.'

'Okay, Miss High-and-mighty, why don't we get this bull-shit over with, and you can tell me all of the ways I've made your life miserable.' Draco crossed his arms and looked down at his supposed ex-girlfriend. 'I'm waiting.'

Ginny stepped back, disgusted by the man in front of her. 'Blonde.former Slytherin.Mudpuddle.you all over her.sound familiar?'

Draco's eyes narrowed. 'How'd you know about that?'

Ginny laughed incredulously. 'So you're not even denying it? At least you could've picked a better place to take your 'friend.' I go to that club all the time. I mean, for Merlin's sakes, that's where we met each other again. What, did you want me to find out?'

'No, of course not. I knew you'd be slaying, and your post-slay routine never changes. Slay, home, eat in, shower, sleep.'

'You have a cheating schedule worked out now? How many other times have you done this?'

'A few. Wait.no,' Draco stammered, realizing that he sounded like a true cheating boyfriend caught in the act. 'Let me explain, I was at the club on a job, or 'mission', if you want to call it that. The girl that you, or someone, saw me with was a Deatheater, a stupid, insipid girl who managed to sleep her way into the Dark Lord's inner circle. My job tonight was to get confidential information out of her any way that I could, and with little chits like that, talking doesn't get you what you want, or what you need. I didn't want to do it, in fact, that girl repulsed me. But I have a job to do, a job that helps keep the people I know and love safe. But sometimes, doing my job means doing things that I don't want to do. So you see, I wasn't cheating on you. I was merely doing my job.'

Meanwhile, Ginny had started to chuckle, a laugh so devoid of mirth it could've been mistaken for a sob. 'You expect me to believe that? That's the cheapest excuse in the book. "It was my job to make out with her." Yeah, right. Do you think I graduated from Hogwarts yesterday? I'm not some vapid, moronic girl you picked up in some bar. I'm supposed to be your girlfriend, someone who you are supposed to treat with respect and some type of affection.'

'Ginny, I DO respect you. I wasn't cheating in the sense you're thinking. I would never do that to you. I would never do something that would cause you deliberate pain. I love you.'

'Don't give me that. It's not the time or the place to say stuff that holds a promise that you aren't capable of keeping. With all of your smooth moves, you have to know by now that this really isn't the time to be whipping out the "I love you" line.'

Draco finally lost it. 'What is your fucking problem? Where is all of this hostility coming from? I've had a really long day and I'm sure you've had one too, so why don't we just go get some sleep and then we can discuss this situation in the morning when we're rested and you're not so emotional.'

'No, you can hear my take on this situation right now. Go fuck yourself. And then, when you're done, get the hell out of my house and don't come back.'

Taken aback, Draco remained mute as Ginny went back into her room and closed the door. Slowly, taking each step one at a time and very slowly at that, he made his way down the stairs, and then out the door, into the night, feeling empty, and knowing that he had just lost the one thing he really cared about.
To be a cliffie, or not to be a cliffie, that is the question. To review, or not to review, that is the action. What?