Genteel Reader,

I am not fond of author's notes, so I do not plan on writing many. There have been a few questions raised, however, that I think need addressing, and so I will break my silence to answer them. If this does not seem like the thing you want to read, then by all means please skip it. Forgive all of the many obstacles that seem to be in the way of our hero and heroine being together. There is a reason for ever bit of detail that I have written and the story will progress, no matter how unending it may seem to be. This is my little world and the religion of choice is definitely Calvinism. Draco and Virginia will end up married, as you should know from reading the prolog, so I see no reason to rush to the end. Have faith in your author's intent and feel free to comment.

Ever yours, Lielabell_______________________________________________________________

May second, around four p.m.

Things are so very awkward with Marty now. Between time spent visiting with Anna and the endless hours I slave away with Malfoy, I have seen him as often after our split as I did before. I can hardly stand it. He is always morose and brooding these days. He cannot be within sight of me of more then two minuets without giving off this heart rending sighs and staring at me as if I was the apple. On top of that, he somehow manages to corner and trap me in pointless discussions about how good of a couple we were and how maladroit he is about the way things ended. I cannot even feign sympathy, since he has been the cause of even more trouble with Malfoy.

In mid April darling Malfoy asked me on a date. I wanted to say yes, but felt it too soon after my break up and said no against my better judgment. I was not very nice about it, as I was still upset over the bet, and I might have come off sounding as if all I wanted him for was a good shag. Needless to say, I offended him. He was in a rather foul mood for some time after, and good ol' Marty, the cause of Malfoy's anguish, decided to cheer him up by taking him for a boy's night out.

While out and about, Marty meet this too sexy not to be augmented blonde by the name of Lizzy Beth. Does not that name just conjure up all that is evil? Listen to me being bitter. Anyway, Miss. Lizzy Beth, who started out with Marty, ended up in Malfoy's bed and has been there ever since. What sort of a trollop does that? She must have no self respect at all.

Since then, she has some how managed to attack herself to Malfoy in the manner of a barnacle to the belly of a boat. She is ever present and makes no bones about her dislike for all other females. She brags endlessly about her access to 'The Manor' and acts as if the banns have already been read. I see know need to point out that she has not as yet met my family, so nothing too serious can be happing.

Oh but she makes my life hell. She is extremely jealous of Malfoy's time. As soon as she realized how often the two of us came in to contact she went into possessive overdrive. She might as well have lifted her leg and peed on him. I honestly do not know how the man can take it.

~}~}~@

Draco looked at the blonde draped across his bed and curled his lip in distaste. She had her uses, but having to deal with her on any thing but a physical level was enough to turn his stomach. She was exquisite, there was no doubt about that, but her brain was on par with a flobberworm and her voice was so high pitched he would not have been surprised to learn that bats would hear it.

Truth be told, he only favored her because of his need for arm candy. One did not show up unescorted to major social events, and his partner of preference was unwilling to be at his side. His father had taught him that the best way to impress men of great political and economic standing was to have something that they desire, and the body that was Lizzy Beth did the trick. He had a second reason for keeping the tart around; she made Virginia remember that he was male. The way that red head reacted to a certain blonde was more then enough reason for said blonde to remain in his company.

Lizzy Beth. What sort of a name is that? He cringed ever time he was forced to utter it. It fit her to a tea. Vapid, self absorbed and phony to the point of parody, she made his life less enjoyable for ever moment he spent with her. But the body. Oh yes, the body was, well to rip off an old song that nobody knows anyway, her individual parts are not unknown but the way she assembles them is all her own. He grinned, his face lit up with the thought of how perfectly suited she was to her role in making Virginia his.

As he watched her, she snorted and raised a blinking face from the pillow she had been drooling on. He could tell from her bloodshot eyes that her want of a good drink had not gone unfulfilled last night. She gulped at the air and pressed her hand to her head, muttering a spell to clear away the remains of her hangover. Her eyes narrowed as they caught sight of him and she open her mouth and let out a grating "Dra dearest, do come give me a kiss."

He groaned inwardly and gave her a wink, which causes her already flushed face to reach an unearthly shade of pink. He tossed his hair out of his eyes and gave a gruff reply. "Not till you brush your teeth and wash out your mouth." She grunted and rolled ungracefully from her stomach to her back. She sat up which caused the covers to slide down her torso. Her beautiful body was on display and she knew it. She stretched her arms high above her head and watched his face as he enjoyed the way her breast moved with them. She attempted a coy look and fluttered her eyelashes in what he could only hope was meant to be a seductive manner.

Lust ruled him as he made his way to her side. He pushed her back onto the rumpled sheets and entered her with out as much as a caress to ready her for him. He closed his eyes, as he ever did, and let nature take control. In his mind, the brown of her skin bleached to white and the dye in her hair turned to red. Her eyes became blue and her voice went silky. He pounded into her, his back arching at the pleasure of it. She moaned and clawed at him; her blood red nails bit cruelly into his shoulders as she tried to pull him deeper. Faster and faster he went, oblivious to the creature beneath him. When he spilled his seed, it was Virginia's name that filled the room and her image that he desperately tried to cling to as the fog of sex drifted from him.

He broke apart from her and went to the bathroom to wash away the traces of self she had left on him. His mirror chuckled at the makes she had made. He raised his hand to touch a ring of red teeth marks that decorated his collar bone. Damn, he thought, this is going to show even after I am dressed. He ran his hand down his chest as visions of Miss. Weasley once again filled his head. He felt himself harden but knew better then to return to his paramour. He sighed again, and then steeped into an icy shower, ready to start his day.

~}~}~@

May thirteenth, just after the post came

Joy! I have been accepted into my first choice for Grad school!

Quote: We are pleased to announce that, out of the 1,245 applications we received, your have been chosen to fill one of the ten opening we have available for the Muggle Relations Masters Candidate Program.

Happy day. I never thought I stood a chance. It is the top school in the world for Muggle Relations. A degree for there means that I will be more then qualified to take over as the head of the Ministry of Magic's department of Muggle Relations when the wonderful witch who chairs it steps down the year after next. Mum and Dad will be so proud!

There is only one small problem with going. My dream school is located fifty kilometers out side of Kyoto, Japan. This is far far away from my home in merry old England. But then. My program is only a year. That's right; I will get my Masters from the best school in a single year. I will only be gone for roughly ten months, and I have no pressing reason not to go. Malfoy. Well let us just say that if it was meant to happen it would have by now.

Oh but the program! I must write about the program. My tuition will be covered and I will get a nice stipend to pay for my expenses. I also receive free room and board because I will be teaching Muggle Studies at the local equivalent of Hogwarts. How cool is that? Even learning Japanese should be a snap, since my dear Hermione, brilliant witch that she is, is capable of performing that langue transfer spell.

May Twenty-third, near dusk

I have just arrived home from the loveliest party that my parents threw to celebrate my B.A. and acceptance to Japan's University of Magic. I am more then slightly buzzed and can think of nothing better then the comfort of my bed. But this odd thing happened tonight, and I want to write it down so that I will remember it when I am not so fuzzy.

He kissed me.

Really wonderful. Just loved the taste of expensive wine on his tongue and the way that his lips moved against mine. Bloody brilliant kisser, that one. His hands framed my face and tangled in my hair while he pressed his body so close to mine that I thought I would die from the sheer pleaser of it.

Ummm... sorry, reliving the moment. I was really very bad and let him have free range of my body for the about ten or so minuets that he had me trapped in the hall closet. Would have let him go on forever but his keeper started screaming for him and we had to part or endure that harpy's rage.

Here's the queer part: He told me he loved me.

How drunk was Malfoy to think that what passes between us has anything remotely to do with love?