A/N - HA! Fooled you all didn't I? You all thought I made a mistake w/ the diary thing. (Remember that I said Ginny's diary was white and silver, whereas the book Draco has is brown. Ooh .... sneaky sneaky! Has anyone guessed yet?) Anyway, love the support from you all. I can't wait to see your reactions when I finish this story! I know you'll all love it! R&R!

Chapter Five: Wet Kisses



"Ginny, are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she muttered sarcastically, pushing her potatoes around. "I always act moody sadistic teenager when I feel alright." It was a late dinner and the hall was quite empty. The gloomy clouds and rain matched Ginny's mood of doom perfectly. Mona stiffened, hurt.

Mona had come back from the hospital wing in full control of her mind and seething at Colin, who decided it was best to lie low for a few days and was having Denis bring him his meals in secret. Having been completely mortified in front of the entire house and also discovering Colin's crush on her was enough to send Mona springing off at Ginny's sarcasm.

"I'm just trying to be a friend," she said banging down her fork and getting up to leave. Not bothering to call her back or apologize, Ginny watched bits of carrots and peas roll around. All her thoughts were on Malfoy. Even Marc was off at quidditch practice; there was absolutely nothing to distract her.

She still couldn't figure it out. That book Malfoy had showed her seemed to be a replica of her diary. If he had gotten hold of her diary, it wasn't as if he had just copied out the most scandalous entries; he had gotten them to transfer directly to his book, as they were still in her handwriting. It would be a lot more convincing to use in blackmail if it was in her own writing. What was he planning?

Glancing over at the Slytherin table, she could see him telling a joke and everyone around him laughing. His pale, pointed face smirked lazily, but his eyes seemed to be empty and lacking enthusiasm for the joke. Her gaze drew his attention and his smirk broadened.

What was it about making other people unhappy that made Draco Malfoy so very happy? Not the inner peace and love it brings, that was for sure. Malfoy had continued to stare at her in an absent way, his head resting on one hand until a girl tapped him on the shoulder and he started chatting to her.

Ginny was awkwardly getting up from the table when she did a double take. The girl ferret boy was talking to was Josceline. What was she doing over at the Slytherin table? She was flicking her fringe and giggling. Was she ... thought Ginny, No, not even she would ... Malfoy had put his hand on hers. Josceline was flirting with ... Draco Malfoy?! And he was flirting back?! What was wrong with people? Had the world suddenly flipped over and no one had informed her?

Disgusted, she left the hall and waited for Marc to come back inside. She had brought a fluffy white towel with her, suspecting that he might have gotten slightly damp in the ensuing monsoon outside which naturally happens whenever there is quidditch practice. He came in along with his team mates, who tramped muddily up the stairs. He waved away his mate Tom who was nodding at Ginny and rasing his eyebrows in a suggestive way. Marc shoved him up the stairs.

"My mate, Tom," Marc said, nodding his head towards the stairs and flinging water around in the process. "He's a nutter, but he's saved my neck a few times up there. One excellent beater, he is."

"Brought you a towel," Ginny said, helping him to towel off his hair. He has such sexy hair, especially when it's wet, she thought to herself dreamily. Marc began drying off his face, his hair still had droplets of water clinging to it, all shiny and glass like. She smiled foolishly at him.

"What?" he asked, tweaking her nose. His hands were like ice.

"You're so cold," she said obviously. His hands found hers and he pulled her close, hands interlocked in a growing pool of icy water. Intense blue eyes stared into chocolate brown ones.

"Have you ever been kissed in the rain before?" he asked suddenly. Ginny shook her head. She wouldn't admit it to him (or anyone), but he was only her second boy to be kissed by. Marc pulled her close and kissed her, his wet clothes sticking to her and giving her shivers all over her body, though the hall was dry and warm.

It was a very wet kiss, every part of him frozen and every part of her alive with sensation. His hands brushed her hair, dampening it and she put her arms around his neck, feeling his hair with her finger tips. The intensity rose and Marc began to kiss her neck when a nasty voice entered the hall.

"Do you mind? I expect most people get a room for that kind of snogging." Leaning in the door frame was Draco Malfoy, his eyebrows raised, smirking sourly. Josceline was next to him with one hand on his shoulder. Marc's cheeks were pink, from embarrassment or warmth Ginny couldn't tell. Her own face remained white and normal, for once. They were both recovering from the long kiss and breathing heavily.

"Hello Josceline, Malfoy," Marc said breathlessly, nodding at them. "I expect I'll see you at the match, the twenty fourth right?" Malfoy nodded coldly, his eyes fixed on Ginny. His eyes took in her wet clothes and bright eyes. Josceline seemed to not notice her and was staring fixedly at Marc with a cold stare. The silence was very tight.

"I'll walk you to your common room Marc," Ginny said quickly, taking his arm and pulling him away. As soon as they had turned out of sight, he let out a sigh.

"Thanks Gin. You don't know how weird that was for me." Same here, Ginny thought. "I haven't spoken to Josceline in almost ... two years now. Blimey, that's a long time."

"Why not? I know she isn't that nice," Ginny began, but he waved away her comment.

"No, it's just ... we used to go out and well, to be honest it wasn't the most gentle break up either of us has had." He looked uncomfortable and dodgy. "Not that I still like her," he added, quickly. "I've only got eyes for one girl now." He smiled and Ginny felt her legs turn to jelly. Why does he have to be so bloody gorgeous? she thought, not regretting the fact that he was one bit. He kissed her again and left her to walk to her common room alone.

When she arrived, all the seventh year boys, except Ron, were sitting in the good armchairs by the fire, miserable. Harry turned when he saw her and said a friendly hello.

"What's all this about?" she asked, watching Seamus, Neville and Dean playing Gobstones. Neville had just been squirted in the face and Seamus was laughing.

"Ron," Harry said shortly. "Hermione came in to give him his homework back and well," he waved his hand as if to indicate what had happened. "We've all been kicked out basically. I just hope they don't stay at it all night. Want to play some chess?"

"Sure, love to," she said. Ginny remembered the game of Exploding Snap at the Burrow before term this year and how flustered she had been, being around Harry. It was odd how fast her shyness around Harry had left her. Her feelings for him seemed to have dissolved instantly when she met Marc. Ginny took after Ron in chess it seemed, beating Harry spectacularly.

After their game, they talked about Quidditch awhile until Hermione came down the boy's stair case at a quarter to eleven. She looked slightly wild with her hair mussed and clothes slightly crooked and rumpled looking.

"It's about time, Hermione," said Harry irritably as Hermione passed them on the way to her dormitory. "If it weren't for that bloody staircase, I'd murder you in your sleep."

"Oh come off it Harry. It's almost eleven as it is and you still have plenty of time to sleep." Ginny started when she saw the clock. She still had to meet Malfoy. It took her about twenty minutes to get to the Astronomy Tower and she only had fifteen. The boys said sleepy goodnights (Neville was snoring in one of the armchairs) and tramped up the staircase. Checking that they were all gone, Ginny raced out the portrait hole.

She arrived flushed and breathless, but undoubtably on time. Maybe even slightly early as Malfoy didn't seem to be there yet. She sat on the cold stone stairs, as it was still pouring heavily outside, and waited, hoping Filch would not find her there. When Malfoy finally decided to show, he had a handkerchief and was rubbing vigorously at his cheek in a disgusted manner.

"You're late," Ginny commented. He glared at her and rubbed more furiously.

"A Malfoy is never late. A Malfoy arrives fashionably on time for every important occasion." There was a pink spot on his pale cheek as he removed the handkerchief and it was not from being rubbed. "Now then, about this revenge business." He sat down on the stairs beside her, making Ginny flinch. They were fairly narrow stairs. He pulled out his copy of her diary, flipping lazily through its pages.

"Are you going to tell me how you got that?" she said, feeling a nerve pulsing in her head. The idea of Malfoy having access to every entry in her diary made her feel faint and angry.

"Thought you might ask," he said casually, pocketing the book again. His eyes were dancing with amusement. "I was the one who found that bag of yours. The one you left on the grounds a few weeks ago."

Ginny paled further at this. Not only had he seen her diary, but her stories and poetry too?! She felt as though Malfoy had just trodden all over her soul in muddy boots. Her personal, her most private things she hadn't even shown to her friends had been raked over by the eyes of a pompous Malfoy. It was more than flesh and blood could bear.

"I read your things and decided that since I owed you some revenge I would keep tabs on you by enchanting this book to magically copy down everything in your handwriting."

"What d'you mean by that?" she snapped impatiently. Malfoy waggled a finger at her annoyingly. "Temper Virginia, temper. You see, by using all sorts of samples of your handwriting, the spell I wrote is able to copy anything you write down; homework, diary entries, poetry," he grinned wickedly. "Sentimental love notes as well. I guess your old complaint about prat boy not kissing you enough has been remedied, judging by tonight's display."

"Don't you call him that!" Ginny interrupted, but Malfoy went on.

"And there are of course ... other entries that would be of interest to the entire school. I'm sure we could all use a good laugh. What was that one? With a tea cup, some sheep skin shorts and a --" Ginny wasn't going to take this sitting down. She stood up, glaring down at him.

"Sod off Malfoy. I mean it."

"Oh, and don't call me Malfoy. Call me Draco from now on. I like it much better. And there is still the little matter of how to blackmail you properly to settle out. You know, there whole reason we're meeting here. Unless you have other reasons? Any bedroom problems I should know about Weasley?" Her knuckles were white in clenched fists. She wanted to knock that placid grin right off his stupid pale face.

"What do you want with me?" she asked, resigned to hear the worst.

"Well, from reading your entries I think I have a good idea of what would be the best punishment for you, something that would really cause you mental trauma." I'm already in a very bad mental place thanks to you, you stupid ferret, she thought fervently. "I have decided to double the pleasure of blackmailing you by also getting something for myself something in return." She looked at the pink spot on his cheek. It most definitely was lipstick.

"If you think I'm going to kiss you, you have another thing coming Malfoy," she said quickly, preparing to bolt at the first indication. "And I do not have bedroom problems!"

"As nice as that would definitely not be and as much as I don't care, that is not what I meant. As you seem to take your scribbling and messing about with paper very seriously, I have decided to devise a way to make that miserable for you as well as a benefit to me." Ginny stood in indignant silence. When he didn't continue, she had to say something.

"What are you talking about Malfoy?"

"I mean that you are going to enter the story contest in Muggle Studies for me and win. In exchange, I promise not to reveal any unsightly information to the public." She stood frozen in place, willing herself to believe she had heard incorrectly. She had already started writing down ideas for her story in her excitement and was not ready to have them smashed to pieces.

"You see, you aren't such a bad scribbler and I could use the extra credit." Ha! she thought to herself. "Of course, you won't be allowed to do another story for yourself, but you can still have the pleasure of seeing my name in print when I win with your story. I can see it now. Draco Malfoy, prestigious author." Ginny stood with her mouth dangling open.

"You know, that isn't a very attractive look," Malfoy said, reaching out to close it. Ginny backed away into a wall, but didn't close her mouth.

"I think I'd prefer to kiss you than do that. That -- that's just cruel! That's mortification, that is! You can't do this to me! I'll tell--" Malfoy stood up and put a hand over her mouth quickly, listening in the silence. She struggled to get it off, but he only pressed down harder. Her shrieks of indignation must have been heard by Filch. There was muttering and quickening footsteps. He swore under his breath heavily.

"Now you've cracked it!" he fumed, face almost next to hers and grabbing her hand they made a run for it. They sped down the spiral staircase, searching the corridor for a suitable hiding place. A door with an 'Out of Order' sign on it came into view and Malfoy ran through it, slipping on the wet floor and dragging Ginny by the wrist.

"I am most definitely not going to do this for you Malfoy," Ginny said flatly, yanking her wrist out of Malfoy's grasp.

"What? You'll tell a teacher on me? Do you really want the whole school to know about that dream with you, Harry, Viktor Krum, and the lead drummer from The Weird Sisters spending a night in a Viking tent? With only one sleeping bag? God, even I didn't want to know about that, Virginia!" he whispered urgently, looking quite disgusted.

"Nobody asked you to read my diary and do stop calling me that!"

"What?"

"Stop calling my Virginia, I really hate it."

"I thought that was kind of the point in calling you that. And you are supposed to be calling me Draco unless you prefer Lord and Master Draco." He crossed his arms in a kind of final way.

"I'm not going to call you Draco unless you call me Ginny."

"The point is Virginia, I don't like those who work for me to have stupid, silly names. Ginny is not on the list of appropriate names. Virginia will have to do unless you prefer Weasel." She glared at him in a furious way. "You really aren't in a position to be asking favors," he pointed out.

"Fine," she said through clenched teeth. "I'll do your bloody story, but I won't like it, Draco," she said, finishing the conversation. She made up her mind to keep thinking about him as Malfoy if it killed her. Also, if he was going to blackmail her, she was going to make the best of it and not give him the satisfaction of seeing how miserable she was. Resigning to her fate, Ginny willed herself not to panic and get so openly annoyed with him as she had in the Astronomy Tower staircase.

"Ahem." Both turned around to see Moaning Myrtle looking at them. She was floating glumly in the air.

"Who are you and what do you want? Go away." Malfoy seemed to be trying to shoo her away with his hands. Myrtle swelled up and began to wail loudly.

"I don't think that was a wise choice of words," said Ginny, dodging a wave of toilet water as Moaning Myrtle dived into one of the toilets. Malfoy sneered.

"Come on," she said, peeking out the door, "I think Filch's gone." They both left the bathroom, treading lightly on the floor when Ginny heard a little mew at her feet. She jumped in fright, but then sighed with relief.

"You clever cat, how did you find me?" she said, picking up Ellipsis. The cat purred softly in her ear, sitting on her shoulder like a warm vibrating grey fuzzy. Suddenly he leapt off and clawed up Malfoy's shirt to sit on his shoulder. Malfoy shifted around, trying to keep the cat off his head. The cat was purring delightedly at the attention.

"Your cat snagged my sweater, Virginia," he snapped irritably. Ginny took her cat off his shoulder and cuddled him. (The cat, not Draco obviously!) Malfoy seemed to be trying to think of something to say, but struggling for the words.

"Did you even read Pride & Prejudice over the summer?" she asked, suspiciously.

"Of course I did. I read about five pages of it. Some old bat was fighting with her husband and going 'Oh la!' all the time. Gave me a headache. That's beside the point."

"No wonder you need the extra credit,"Ginny muttered under her breath.

"I think we'll have to arrange meetings twice a week, so I can check your progress. You only have four months or so to write this thing and I like to turn things in on time." Ginny frowned and nodded. After thinking it over for a few moments, the worst part of this was not being forced to write for him, but for him being given the credit of writing it, not to mention being in Malfoy's company more often than she would have liked. However, there was no way she would dream of doing this if it wasn't for the book he had. In fact ...

"What are you going to do with the book?" she asked.

"Keep it of course. How else can I blackmail you?"

"No, no. I mean, when you've done blackmailing me." He stared at her blankly.

"Do you think I'll ever stop blackmailing you?" Ginny stomped off in the other direction, wishing more than anything to go to sleep and wake up from this horrible nightmare.

"Be sure to write in your diary tonight!" he called out sweetly after her, as she let out a sound of annoyed exasperation.

-*-*-*-

In Charms, Mona and Ginny were passing a note between them. Colin was sitting on the other end of the room, stealing longing glances at the two of them every once in a while.

'What is up with you these days? You've been blowing me off and being all sarcastic. You didn't even want to help me with getting revenge on Colin properly. I wish he'd stop looking over here.'

'I told you, I hate red ants and he's still my friend even if you hate him.' Ginny was being very careful in what she was writing. If Malfoy had been telling the truth and everything she wrote was copied into his Book of Evil (her new nickname for the not-so-amusing blackmail extravaganza), then she didn't want to say anything else he could use against her. At least Malfoy would get a one-sided conversation if anything. Mona shoved the note back at her.

'How can you still be his friend?!?! He has a crush on ME, your very best friend in the universe and made a fool of me in front of everyone! Ew! I still can't believe it! You're not the one with chants of "Where has Hunky got to?" following you where ever you go, have you! You would think Gryffindors would be kinder about this ...'

'Yeah, usually something the Slytherins would do. Who cares though? It'll stop soon I'm sure.' Ginny saw Professor Flitwick eyeing them and began to look extremely interested in copying some notes from the board onto her assignment.

'Ooh speaking of the Slytherins, what is going on with you and Draco Malfoy?' A doodle of a heart followed this.

'What?' Ginny wrote back, thoroughly startled. Had she found out? It had only been last night!

'He keeps staring at you and following us all the time. Not to mention what I heard about your Muggle Studies class. Did he really blow a kiss at you?' Mona was looking slyly at Ginny as she passed her the note back.

'No! Well, yes but ... just drop it! You do realize that I have a boyfriend? Marc Davies ringing a bell?'

'There isn't any harm in being prepared I say. And you must admit that Draco is not a bad catch either. Rich and handsome are always the best combination. And he's not so short as he used to be. I think he's a bit taller than you.'

'When did you have time to get an accurate comparison? And I can't believe you just wrote that! He may be rich, but not at all in any way attractive or what I would want in a guy.' Ginny began to sweat, trying hard to write to Mona in a casual way while not mentioning anything that would give away what they were talking about. Mona's quill scratched and her mouth was twitching into a smile as she wrote back.

'Are you sure? He waved at you this morning during breakfast.'

'Did he? Must have been someone behind me.' He had indeed waved at her and Ginny had ignored it. Malfoy seemed to be enjoying the fact that she could not retaliate to his little annoyances. And, of course, the thing that would annoy her most would be him being friendly to her in any shape or form.

'Ginny, he called out "Hey Virginia!" It is slightly obvious. I just hope Marc doesn't notice and fall out with you. I think you two are nice together.'

'Her trusts and respects me. Marc is everything I could ask for in a boy. Tall, dark hair, tanned skin, sexy smile, nice strong face ... I could go on, you know. And I don't see you with a boyfriend so sod off about this will you? I don't want to talk about him.'

'What? For once my friend doesn't want to talk about her beloved boyfriend?'

'No, I mean Draco.' Ginny stared at horror at what she had written. Besides forgetting to call him Malfoy, she had written his name. He would know she had been discussing him, he would! Now what could she do?

'Alright then, keep your knickers on. I was only asking. If you ever do get involved with him, you had better let me know. I hear he's a great snog, got really soft lips, but still strong, you know?' She raised her eyebrows and wiggled them. Ginny glared at her.

'You're a mad biscuit, you know that? There is not, never has been, never will be anything physical between us. And I MEAN IT! Nothing HE could do would ever possibly tempt me. Least likely match of the century.' Let that be a message to the wet git if he decided to read this. Thinking further upon Malfoy's kissing skills, Ginny began to wonder who's lipstick he had been wiping off the other night. She felt certain that any kiss form Draco would be like unto her first kiss which was not a good experience. She shivered slightly thinking about it. Sometimes she still couldn't believe it had happened.

'Well I won't then. Does Marc have soft lips?' Class ended and Ginny folded up the note.

"Well? Has he?" she persisted. Ginny grinned and nodded. Marc really was perfect. Sometimes it puzzled Ginny why he liked her in the first place, but then she reminded herself that Marc was not blind. She may not be the prettiest in the school, but she was no hag. Her happy bubble of lovely thoughts was burst at the sight of Draco (Malfoy! MALFOY! she mentally scolded herself) scowling up to her in the corridor.

"Tonight. Eight o'clock. Great Hall," he hissed in her ear as she passed him.

"See what I mean? He's stalking you." Ginny snorted.

"As I said before, you're a mad biscuit. He's just cooking up some new way to annoy me." Mona stayed silent, but didn't believe her. Ginny had a dodgy look in her eye and Mona just knew she was hiding something. As they passed the Transfiguration classroom, Marc and his friend Tom walked out, saying something to Professor McGonagall. He spotted Ginny and came over. Tom watched with amusement. He had blonde floppy hair that went into his eyes slightly.

"Ginny, can you meet me tonight at seven in the library?"

"Of course," she said, her face lit up at the sight of him. Mona made a little squeaking noise behind her.

"Great," he said, kissing her cheek. "See you later then." He winked and headed off with his mate Tom, who was hitting his shoulder. Suddenly Ginny slapped her forehead. She was meeting with Ferret Boy at eight. Hopefully Marc would accept some kind of excuse. Surely, they weren't going to be longer than an hour?

"Who was that with him?" Mona said after the few moments silence while Ginny had been thinking.

"Who? Oh you mean Tom. He's a beater on the Ravenclaw team." Seeing Mona's face she added, "You alright? You look pale. Have you got a fever?"

"I'm feverish with love," she murmured, drifting off as Ginny sniggered. A moment later, Colin caught up with her.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked, nodding where Mona had turned.

"Oh, she saw someone and thinks she's in love. The usual. You don't have to look so tragic Colin." His face had looked surprised and then he smiled.

"It's good I suppose. Keep her mind off me for a while." He laughed nervously in a slightly high voice. "Not that her mind is on me of course, but you know. I'll see you later, I-I have to get some more ointment for the red ant bites. Mona sure is one tough person, eh? See you later!" He skittered away quickly.

A/N - Aww! Poor little Colin, lost in love. Can't wait to write the next chapter, get Draco and Ginny alone together. It's gonna be ... interesting. *wink wink* Toodles! Reviews are always welcome!