Author's Note: Okay, this is supposed to be tomorrow's chapter, but since I won't be updating tomorrow...here it is.

Disclaimer: Same as with Chapter 1.

Chapter 5: Apple for Teacher

Ginny kept her head down as she moved swiftly towards the back of the library. She was still no doubt living down the scene from the other day, even though it was what it was happened in the Great Hall that had kept her awake all night. Having reached her destination, Ginny plopped gratefully down in her usual spot.

Ginny had no desire to read. She simply tapped her fingers patiently across the smooth surface of the table, pondering what she would say to Draco. She half wanted to yell at him for the things he did to her. 'Oh come off it Gin,' she thought guiltily within herself, 'Draco didn't actually do anything. That was all you.'

Ginny groaned, covering her head at the thought of what she had said to poor Harry. She hadn't actually said it to him; she hadn't said it to anyone, really. 'It was simply an expression, a foul one but-'

"Good Afternoon, Ginny," Draco said in a mockingly sweet sing song voice. "Have a good night's sleep?"

Ginny replied by giving Draco the most venomous stare that she could muster.

"I take it you didn't," Draco said sitting down, ignoring the look. "So...have you come to a decision?"

The anger within Ginny vanished as she realized she hadn't act thought about the offer at all, not since she left the library. She honestly didn't know what to make of it, much less what to decide.

"Don't tell me you need more time to think about it," asked Draco, frowning. Clearly she was testing his patience.

"N-No," Ginny said, "I...I think I...do."

"Do what?" asked Draco, "Accept? Decline? Or just do?"

"I...accept." It was too late to take it back. 'Ron is going to kill me...'

"Good," said Draco standing. He gently pulled Ginny up with him. "Follow me."

It was pretty hard not to follow him since he was now leading her by the arm through the library, passing row and after of neatly categorized books. They headed into a region of the library that Ginny hadn't actually explored. As they were walking, they were almost bumped into a pair of students, a boy and a girl, coming from around the corner. They both looked rather disheveled. Despite their questionable appearance, they were busily eyeing Draco and Ginny. Draco let go of Ginny's arm and crossed his own defiantly.

"The young woman and myself are going back to engage in a private discussion," he said darkly, "and private is exactly what it is. Now if you don't want your significant others to hear about your little 'meetings', I suggest you both immediately forget seeing us and find another place to copulate. Now piss off!"

The couple moved quickly around Draco, not looking back. Draco glanced back at Ginny, looking only slightly embarrassed, and continued to forward.

"Well...here we are," said Draco. Ginny watched as he opened the door to a room, and turned on a light. She then timidly followed him in. The room contained a desk, its surface neatly organized with a thick, open book as a sort of centerpiece. To their immediate left was a large leather sofa, in front of it, a small table with a vase of flowers at the center. There was a pantry on the right, and a large painting of the school on the wall behind the desk.

Draco entered and seated himself at the desk. Ginny still stood in the doorway. Draco, looked at her, questioningly.

"Well?" he asked, "Are you going to come in or aren't you?"

"B-But, isn't this....you know....off limits?"

Draco smiled. "Depends on who you are and what you've got. You may consider yourself permitted." Ginny, only slightly reassured, entered the room. She carefully closed the door behind her. She went back to lock it at Draco's bidding.

"We don't want any interruptions," he said.

"But what if it's Madame Pince?" Ginny asked in a hushed voice.

"Then she'll simply have to come back won't she?" Draco said with a self assured grin, "and you don't have to whisper."

Ginny took a seat on the sofa, sitting so that she was aligned with Draco, who sat studying her from behind the desk. For a few moments, that look of pure calculation returned and Ginny, a bit intimidated, found it hard to look at him. Smiling, Draco said, "Sorry, just trying to figure out just where I should start with you."

"Start?"

"Yes. You see, there are different levels to this, and certain people are naturally further ahead or behind each other. You aren't too far behind, Ginny, believe it or not. You actually have a target in mind, Potter, and you have already established a connection to him. So you have a good place to start from."

Ginny allowed a small smile, feeling a little good about being at an ideal level.

"Let's start with a little exercise shall we?" Draco asked. There was an apple on the table. Draco picked it and tossed it gently to Ginny who managed to catch it. Ginny examined it, glad that she hadn't managed to look like a complete idiot within the first few minutes.

"Now," he said slowly, "come and hand it to me."

Ginny walked over and reached across the desk to offer him the fruit. Draco calmly reached as if he were going for the fruit, but instead touched Ginny's hand. He trailed his finger gently from the top of her hand to her middle finger. She dropped the fruit. Luckily, Draco's reflexes allowed him to catch the apple before it hit the table.

"Just as I suspected," he said. "That's something we'll have to work on."

"What?" asked Ginny, still unnerved by the gesture.

"That jumpiness of yours. It has to go. You can't do this sort of thing and be nervous." Draco mused for a few moments. Then, turning his attention back to her "I believe we should try a little 'relaxation' technique." He smiled devilishly. "Game?"

Author's Endnote: I'm going to try to get through this part as fast as possible. Hopefully I'll be able to start the rewrite for Tainted Tastes next Friday or the following Monday. Ciao! BP