"Well, actually, there are two things that I want, Malfoy," Ginny corrected herself. She watched Malfoy raise his eyebrows in a questioning manner. She took this opportunity to torture him, and slowly worked her stare up and down his muscular body. He took notice of this action, and stood up straighter, so she could see his full height. Ginny followed his half- smile, and sharply inhaled. Malfoy was, without mincing words, sexy. She was just imagining how his arms looked without the offending material covering them when Malfoy cleared his throat.

"Are you going to stop gawking now, Weasley, or should I give you a picture?" A slow, knowing grin spread over face and she looked at him coyly and fought the blush rising in her cheeks at the same time.

"Well, Malfoy, first, I insist that you call me Ginny, and I'll call you Draco. I don't like the formality of our last names, nor the malice that the use of them suggests."

"I think I can manage that, Ginny," he agreed, putting extra emphasis on her first name.

"Good Draco," she quipped, fighting the urge to offer him a treat. "Second, you must swear to me that you will stop whatever ridiculous plot that you have against Lorelai. She's a great girl! And you and I both know that you're just mad because she always seems to get the best of you." Draco's scowl replaced his almost-smile, and Ginny sighed, adding one more thing to her list of demands. He studied her openly, taking in her curves and the not-so-innocent smile on her cute little face before he agreed.

"Fine," he said. Ginny wasn't convinced.

"Draco, you have to swear. If you screw her over, I'll make it impossible for you to have kids!" she threatened. He threw his hands up in the air, losing his temper.

"Al-right! I told you that I would cease immediately! And Malfoy's do NOT break their word!" he shouted. Ginny shrank back, almost frightened by the ferocity of his voice. Draco looked at her. "Oh, stand up straight! I'm not going to hit you," he said a bit more calmly. She nodded.

"Draco, I've added one more thing,"

"Again? How many times are you going to change your..." He was silenced when he was thrown up against the brick for the second time that day, only this time, he thought he might enjoy it. Ginny moved in close, to where their bodies were touching, then slid up the length of him so she could reach his mouth. She stopped just short of his lips, then looked up into his eyes. She moved her arms like liquid down his torso, and then to his hands. She wasn't the 'innocent' Ginny Weasley that everyone (except the two guys she'd been with, yes, you know, been with) thought she was. She wasn't the kind to walk around and just give it away, but she did like to tease a bit.

He felt on fire. Still holding his gaze with hers, she caught his bottom lip lightly between her teeth. He groaned as she aggressively took his mouth, teasing him with her tongue, and he responded, freeing his hands from her grasp and he placed them on her tiny hips, and pulled her against him. She moaned, feeling him against her, and then, regretfully pulled away. He looked at her, eyes full of desire and disbelief.

"What was that?" he asked roughly

"My third condition. "Cause, I've, uh, oh dear, I've always wanted to snog with...with you," she finished.

"You say that you and Potter snogged...several times?" he asked with his eyebrow raised.

"Y-yeah," Shy Ginny had returned

"Lucky bloke, he is." She blushed. "Yeah, well, I've, uh, I've got to go eat, at least make an appearance, you know?" She made her excuse to leave. "By the way, Malfoy, I don't think that we should tell anyone about our date until Saturday...that will certainly shock everyone out of their pants, eh?" She giggled softly. He managed a half-smile and looked her up and down appreciatively, focusing on her swollen lips.

"Yeah, whatever, I'll see you on Saturday, Weasley," he said.

"Ok, Ferret-boy...and, by the way, I'm really looking forward to it..." she paused, and bit her lip the way that she'd seen Lorelai do so many times, subconsciously. "I'm interested to see what really lies beneath your skin," she finished quickly. She sauntered away.

Draco shook his head in disbelief. He had been looking for a conquest, but was presented instead with a partner in crime. "Don't expect too much, Weasel," he muttered softly under his breath, seconds after she was out of hearing range. But as she walked away, he found himself noticing that Virginia's hips didn't hypnotize him as another certain redhead's had. He swore and his excitement waned. He had made a promise to Virginia, and he didn't know why, but he intended to keep it...for now. He walked back to the Slytherin common room. He reached the portrait and muttered, "Confusion." The door opened and Draco stepped into the dungeons, feeling the draft that always seemed to be there, regardless of the fire that was always roaring-the fire! Lorelai wasn't in her usual chair by the fireplace! He frowned, disappointed, and he felt...guilty? He felt responsible for her absence! And why shouldn't he?

"Yes, why shouldn't I? I made her bleed!" he said out loud. And for what? his conscience asked. Draco thought on this. He had hurt her in order to get to her information. And why did it bother him that she hadn't explained the situation of last night to him? That she had put that memory charm on him? Draco stood and thought.

He didn't know how long he had been standing there when a slap to his face brought him back to the present. The fire had dimmed, but light or no, there was no mistaking the voice that hissed, "You son-of-a-bitch!"

-------------

Snape looked down at the disheveled girl at the door to his private chambers. "You do know that it is completely inappropriate for you to be here, don't you?"

"Severus, please, I-I need to talk to you, to tell you of what's to come, to seek your help and guidance," Lorelai's jaw was set, but for a moment, her eyes softened as she whispered,

"Please don't turn me away, Severus, I don't know what to do! I know what I must do, but I don't know how to go about doing it and oh! I'm getting ahead of myself." Her arms stopped the wild motion and she crossed them in front of her, clearly favoring her left. Snape took a look at it, and noticed the stiff cloth. He reached out and touched it and then brought out his wand. Lorelai tensed, then soon relaxed when he muttered, "Lumos." Using the light from his wand, Snape peered closely at it, and drew back quickly. "Lorelai, is this blood?" She nodded. His brow furrowed. "Then it is worse than I thought." She nodded once more. "Does it hurt?"

"No, not really," she stated simply. "Well, you had better come inside then. And don't be alarmed, I'll be the perfect gentleman," he added, smiling wryly to lighten the mood. She returned the smile, and then it quickly disappeared as she stepped inside Snape's private quarters. She took a minute to survey the Potion's Master's living space. For a moment, she forgot that she was there under the most grave circumstances. Everything was stone, there were few candles, and no windows. Black shelves covered one wall entirely, and each shelf was filled with black- bound books.

She saw many pieces of black leather furniture; a piece that Muggles would call a 'loveseat,' and two high-backed chairs with curved, decorative arms to them. Each of the chairs resided close to the fireplace, on the-oh my gosh!!! she thought. Is that a SHAG rug? She tried to fight the inevitable giggle, and she lost. Snape's eyes whipped to where she stood.

"What's so funny?" he asked in the pinched, annoyed voice he usually used with Potter. That only caused her to laugh even harder. "It's amazing you can find humor in a situation like this," he said caustically. She only pointed in the direction of the fireplace, barely able to draw in enough air to breathe, much less speak. "Oh, yes, the rug. Well, as you know, as we were both in Muggle London together this summer, I was in a store, following one of my-er-charges, and once I felt the texture of this rug, I knew I had to have it. Besides, it was my color," he added, knowing that he had set off ammunition. "What is the expression that the Muggles use? Oh, yes, 'Soft as a baby's bottom,'"

He was shocked when the expression on Lorelai's face changed from one of amusement to looking as though she had just been slapped.

"Actually, Severus, that's one of the things that I need to discuss with you tonight," she said in a shaky voice, and then she gestured to her arm. "Among other things."

-------------

She licked the end of her sugar quill, then began writing again. Grateful for the common room's warmth, she set her quill down and removed her robe, then grabbed an extra quill and tied up her hair with it. Finally comfortable, Ginny picked up her quill and had it poised, ready to write, but nothing came. It's a stupid assignment anyway, she inwardly huffed. Her last assignment had been great, the essay on the Quidditch captains. But now, Colin Creevey had gone too far. He had heard of a Muggle advice column, Dear Abby, and he decided that Ginny Weasley should be the advice-queen extraordinaire. Nevermind the fact that her love life was abysmal.

She re-read one of her questions from the last edition, addressed to, "Dear Miss Phoenix." She had chosen the pen name for her secret love of the creatures.

"Dear Miss Phoenix: Here's my problem. I've liked a girl for quite some time, in fact, it's mutual and we've even been sort of dating, though she probably doesn't see it that way. I want to know how I can make sure that she's in this relationship for the long haul...Sincerely, Overlooked."

She had simply told this Overlooked fellow that he needed to make this girl jealous, and see what she did in return. Ok, it may not have been the best advice, but contrary to popular belief, Ginny wasn't an angel and enjoyed a good joke as much as anyone. Ginny laughed out loud, and drew attention from Hermione who was sitting in Ron's lap across the room.

"What's so funny, Gin?" Hermione asked politely, interested in her friend's life. "Oh, nothing, just this advice column," Ginny returned. Not even Hermione, her closest friend knew about her new identity. Or her new interest...Mmmm...Draco. Ginny blushed madly, remembering the way that she had wantonly kissed him, and how his response had made her feel...so...needed! She hadn't felt that way since...No, Gin, there's no reason to think of that now. She would settle on knowing that she had lied to Malfoy about the extent of her relationship with Harry, and just leave it at that. Who would have though that she and Malfoy of all people could have had a good rapport? Certainly not Ginny. He must have been having an off day, she reasoned.

But accident or no, she was still looking forward to seeing Harry's face at Hogsmeade the following week...He couldn't really be interested in Lorelai, could he? And Lorelai most certainly wasn't interested in Harry for real—he wasn't her type! Ginny heard a thump and felt pain...she looked down and realized that she had banged her fist on the wooden table subconsciously. Speaking of Lorelai...she needed to know that Draco was planning something with her. Ginny enjoyed Draco's company, but she didn't trust him any farther than she could throw him. But she could take care of herself...or so she hoped. She rolled her eyes at the pile of letters and began mending people's love lives.