Chapter Three: Tiptoe Through the Riots

A/N: Muy importante: If you did not read the extended version of chapter 2 do it now, or else this chapter will not make any sense. Bwahahaha! (I feel like the Wizard of Oz, I wonder why?)

            Hogwarts was beautiful during the autumn; the grounds were littered with the scarlet and gold leaves that had begun to fall from the shedding trees. They floated into the entrance hall with the cool draft whenever someone decided to depart. Their vibrant colors painted the normally dreary looking grounds and gave the building a refreshing feeling of purity and calm that it held during no other time of the year. Even recurrent rain even brought an odd sense of cleanliness to the dying trees and dusty campus. Along with the crisp scent of leaves that seemed to crawl up your snout as the wind blew through the busy corridors between classes.

Ginny usually lived for this time of the year – however, her current issues with Malfoy kept her thoughts far from appreciating the beautiful scenery. Her sense of dread seemed to make the clocks to move faster as she soon found herself being woken up by the bright sunlight coming through the thick golden drapes of her canopy bed and the shuffling of the other girls in the dorm busily readying themselves for their soon to come expedition into the small wizarding town of Hogsmeade. She didn't know whether to cry or fall back asleep and pretend that this day hadn't come yet. Ginny opted for the second choice as she rolled over and shut her eyes, but the nervous churning in the pit of her stomach that had kept her up a good part of the previous night would not allow it. She wanted to prolong the events awaiting her later that afternoon as long as she possibly could. Ginny kept that thought in mind as she drew herself a nice hot bath with bubbles galore as soon as the other fifth year girls had abandoned her company for that of those in the Great Hall. The scent of mint leaves and tea drifted up her freckled nose as she lowered herself into the porcelain tub and gasped as the hot water engulfed her cold body. Ginny hadn't the time for such an extravagance in a long time, not since the previous June when she had returned from Department of Mysteries. The summer had been too busy, and with sharing the washroom with so many people, at home and at school, she never was able to have a lengthy enough period of time in the tub for a nice long bath, but today was different. With everyone gone, and her lack of interest in breakfast Ginny was free to take her time, and that was exactly what she planned to do. She felt she deserved it, especially with the horrors she would be facing at noon over a butterbeer. The very idea of it sent shivers up her spine, even in a tub of hot water.

"Oh the audacity of that brute!" Ginny groaned as she sighed and placed a washcloth over her face before sinking lower into her tub of anxiety.

*        *        *

"Hey Draco, are we going to Zonkos today or not. I need more dung bombs because wasted the remainder of mine when I dropped them into Longbottom's pepper up potion last Tuesday. So if you're not going with me I need to know now so I can ask Blaise." Pansy asked bitterly before sloppily eating a forkful of pancakes. Her half closed eyes signaled that she didn't really give a damn either way. She didn't have a bond with either boy, therefore their company, or lack there of, meant nothing to her. She was just out for a good time and Draco knew that; if she wanted anything more from him their alliance never would have existed.

"No Parkinson, I have more important things to do than waste my time buying crap when a curse works far more efficiently." Draco grumbled in response while stirring his coffee with one hand and massaging his forehead with the other. He had the late shift of hall patrol the previous night and had caught an almost unimaginable amount of snogging couples though out the school. One of the more hormonal participants had taken it upon themselves after he had 'leniently' taken away points to chew his ear off for being a peaking tom and spoil sport, and then was punched in the gut by her boyfriend after he proceeded to deduce points and he had 'accidentally' slipped in a harmless comment about their desperate need for a room. The students at this school had no respect for authority, especially those damn Gryfs who proceeded to make his life even more miserable. However, one particular Gryffindor understood his rule and it entertained him greatly to watch her retreating glances and nervousness whenever he was in site. Yes, it was great fun teasing the youngest Weasley and her obvious fear of him made it even more enjoyable.

Draco had no idea what exactly it was that he was going to make her do in order to retrieve her book, but the chance to watch her squirm was too good an offer to pass up. He was sure what type of terrified ideas she had stirring up in her head by thinking that he was basing his blackmail on her story. After all, The Sexuality of Socks was such an interesting and devious tale.

*       *       *      *

Ginny took a deep breath as she walked in to The Three Broomsticks that afternoon. She had taken her time to do everything she could to soothe her nerves. After the therapeutic mint bath Ginny had done everything from basic yoga stretches that Hermione taught her to eating chocolate to fixing her self properly. Ginny had even dressed in her newest outfit to ensure self comfort and raise her dwindling self esteem. Her radical effort seemed to pay off as she calmly made her way towards Malfoy's table in the back of the restaurant as though she hadn't a care in the world.

"So you actually had the guts to show? Well, we'll see how brave you are by the end of our meeting. Come now Weasel, sit. Don't you know that it's rude to gawk at people or do the lowest of the low class not believe in manners?" Draco sneered expectantly while causally leaning back in his chair. He was almost surprised at how serene she appeared, and he wanted nothing more than to shatter her cool as fast as possible. However, Draco's amazement was only heightened as she replied instantly and smoother than ice.

"Well Malfoy, being from a low class family and all, I wouldn't know if the rules were the same with you, but when a gentleman, which I never expected you to be, requests the company of a lady, even if they are only discussing a matter as trivial as black mail, he is usually courteous enough to pull out the chair for her. However, under the circumstances, I shouldn't have expected anything above the low from you." She sighed before pulling out her oven chair and smoothly taking a seat, ignoring Draco's death glared that he had direct towards her, "Now, I don't believe that you asked me here to discuss manners, or lack there of . . .so please, Malfoy, let's talk this over quickly because I'm sure we both have better things to do."

His lips were pursed so tightly by the time she was through that it almost seemed as if they were sown shut, but he quickly regained his composure as he replied in a biting tone, "Actually Weasley, there are quite a few topics I'd like to address before we return to school. Tons more than just the terms of this arrangement, so you better not have made anymore plans for this afternoon unless you want to miss them, "Ginny shook her head and he continued, "Well then, lets start out with the content of your note book . . ."

"Yes Malfoy, I know it's a tad racy in spots, and most would wonder how a young girl like me could write something like that – "

"I did ponder that thought, yes, but that isn't what I was going to ask you. You really must work on those manners of yours; you shouldn't interrupt people like that. You might never learn what they were going to say." Draco interject with a large annoying smirk on his face as she unintentionally wondered what he was going to say, "Well, anyhow, what I was going to ask was why did you force yourself to write that crap?"

"What do you mean?" Ginny knew exactly why he meant, but she wanted to know how he had come to that conclusion.

"It was obvious after your first poem that these romance stories weren't something you enjoyed writing. So why do it? It's not that I care that you're a masochist; I just wanted to know your reasoning . . . "

"The money obviously." She paused for a moment searching for a reason why she had just said that, "The girls in my year pay me for stories, therefore I write what they want for commission." she yawned tiresomely, "And it's not like I never have time to write anything that I personally enjoy . . ."

"Like The Sexuality of Socks?" her questioned dryly.

"Exactly," Ginny replied before taking a sip of her butterbeer that had just arrived.

"How low it must feel to have to sell yourself in order to wear decent clothes," he sneered while gesturing at her apparel, "At least you don't dress like a slut, but I suppose 'all' prostitute writers dress that classy . . ."

Ginny glared at him before replying sardonically, "Oh yes, we even have a specialty store."

"I'm sure," he pondered dryly before a smirk reached his mouth, "So how did you write the racy parts?"

Ginny smiled flippantly before speaking in the same seductive tone she had used that evening two weeks ago with Harry, "Wouldn't you liked to know." She wondered how much longer she was going to have to humor him before she'd learn the terms of her blackmail.

*       *       *       *

            They exited the Three Broomsticks only after Draco had found out as much information as she would give about her newest tale, and it was a lot less than he had been looking for. Ginny refused to give away anything about the reason for writing it, other than practice. She would tell if she wrote off experience, or why she did it in the first place. Ginny only answered his studied questions with vague reply or queries of her own. She was too calm and composed for him to easily push her around, but Draco could tell that her façade was beginning to lapse as he continued to tease. He was slowly learning things about the lively redhead who silently walked beside him, cautious to keep pace. She wasn't witty; she was professional. She wasn't cute; she was annoying. Her lips weren't venomous; they were luscious. And Draco also discovered that his eyes were glued to these lips as they slowly phrased inaudible words and he magiced the opening of they're destination.

            "Malfoy, are you listening to a single goddamned word I'm saying? 'Cause if you aren't then I'm going to stop wasting my time and shut up."

            "Yes, please do . . ." Draco responded coldly as he rubbed his forehead and tore his eyes from her wicked mouth; the very same sinful lips that cursed him with a wretched bogey hex less than three months ago. But such a vibrant mouth should be used for no other purpose than being cherished; Draco was sure that none of her previous admirers worn them for such a purpose. How he couldn't wait to corrupt those very chops with his own, to chew them and spit them out until they were nothing but tainted quivering stained petals. 

Ginny was steaming at his response as she stepped through the gate door he held for her and took in the very bare brown yard before her, "Where the hell are we Malfoy?" the alarm was apparent in her voice.

"If I was being blackmailed, I would take care to be more respectful before terms were discussed, Weasley." She noticeably tensed, and he continued gingerly down the stone walk toward the large Victorian house before them, "Besides, weasel, where does it look like we are?"

"Like the house in my story . . . but . . ." her façade had faltered and Draco smirked as he held the front door open for her and she slowly slinked into the house, "That's impossible . . ."

"Nothing is impossible for a Malfoy, Weasley, and you of all people should know that," he allowed the sentence to hang dramatically as he led her into a den and they took as seat, "Now how do you take your tea weasel?" Draco clapped his hand and a house elf appeared with two cups of tea in hand.

Her face paled as she looked like an animal being led to the slaughter, "Screw the tea ferret; tell me what the hell you're getting at."

"Temper. Temper, Weasley, you don't want to go and loose your cool now do you?" Draco's smirk was annoyingly broad as he took a cup, but his control was cut short as she asked her next question.

"Wait one damned moment, ferret . . ."She huffed, clearly alarmed, but she soon calmed down as realization hit her, and her soft voice spoke a practical question, "What color socks are you wearing?"

"Black . . .why?" But the game was already lost for him and her control was regained.

"No reason Malfoy . . . Now let's discuss these terms of yours." Ginny smiled as she leaned back in her chair and accepted the tea from the elf at her side.

A/N: Well, there's chapter three. I hope you enjoyed it.  I know I did. Sorry if it wasn't as humorous as it's predecessor, but the next chapter will be, don't worry.

Thank you reviewers. You all rock, but I want more! *Starts stingingly like the little mermaid, but is cut off by a fit of gagging* *Instead starts screaming the Offspring's Self Esteem.* Any reviewers know it?