Author's Note: So I slipped up for a few weeks. At least I'm managing to update before a month is up…I do have to say that this chapter and its update is dedicated to xxxLisaxxx. She recently read my story and reviewed for every chapter…That is amazing of her to do…So, thank you Lisa and I hope this chapter is to your liking. Also, thank you to the rest of you faithful reviewers, you guys are incredible.

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

July 10, 2012…Zambini Manor…8:37 p.m

"Draco, you finally made it. I was beginning to think you chickened out. Even if you are trying to make amends with your conscious and Gin…You must be Ryan. You look amazing. Absolutely stunning, allow me to get you a drink?" Blaise asked as he walked off to fetch them all drinks.

"He hasn't changed a bit," Ryan said, surveying the room.

"No, he hasn't, but how would you know?" Draco asked, turning to face her.

Ryan quickly replayed the conversation in her head for her slip and then mentally cursed herself. She was beginning to become quite sloppy. And sloppy could get you killed. "I've met him before. A long time ago. Of course it was under different pretenses and a different look."

Draco bought if for the time being. There was something going on in his mind. It was slowly putting pieces together, but there was still a few missing. He was going to have to take a look at this puzzle.

"Draco, darling! I haven't seen you in ages. Why haven't you called me? I swear, between you and Blaise, a girl is beginning to feel unwanted."

"Pansy, Blaise is gay." Draco said without preamble. Ryan's jaw dropped and then closed with a click. Pansy, however, seemed nonplussed.

"Still doesn't explain why you can't return my calls, or floos," she stated seductively. She took a step forward and placed a hand on his chest. Draco started to panic and looked for an escape.

"I have a girlfriend now. Pansy, meet Ryan. Ryan, meet Pansy," Draco said as he stepped out of Pansy's reach and pushed Ryan in front of him. He wasn't a coward, usually. Pansy just had a way of making people very uncomfortable.

"Pleasure," Ryan said as she held out her hand. Pansy just looked at her disdainfully.

"I'm sure," Pansy said as she walked away.

Before Draco could comment, Blaise showed up with their drinks. Draco took his without comment and appraised the room. It had been awhile since he'd been to one of the functions. He remembered why too.

"I see you've had the pleasure of meeting Miss Parkinson. She can be a bit obsessive but she's mostly harmless. It's just a cosmopolitan," he said as he noticed her hesitation with the drink. "I was recently in California and for some reason; all muggle women were obsessed with it. I figured you wanted something to remind you of home."

"That's sweet of you," Ryan said as she took drink

"Would you like to dance? That is, if Draco doesn't mind." Blaise looked up at Draco for his permission. As Draco nodded, Blaise led Ryan out onto the dance floor.

'Damn flirt!' Draco thought as he watched the men give Ryan appreciative glances. He grabbed a flute of champagne and headed towards the bar. He downed the drink as he ordered a few shots of fire whiskey. 'She's two timing me' he thought as he saw her give a gracious smile to Blaise. 'No, she's three timing me because of Potter. Wait a second, something is clicking here.' He finished his third shot of the whiskey and walked up to Ryan. "We need to talk," he said as he gestured to the balcony. Ryan nodded and followed him out there.

"You're a bad friend."

Of all the things he could have said, this was the last thing she expected. She half expected him to figure her out, call her bluff. Blaise guessed, but she didn't confirm his suspicions. "Excuse me?" she asked, crossing her arms. She shot a look at the open balcony doors and closed them in the face of a few curious spectators.

"You're a bad friend," he repeated.

"Are you drunk?"

"No, a Malfoy never gets drunk. I'm just a little tipsy, that's all. That doesn't mean my statement is any less true. You are a bad friend to Ginny."

Ryan resisted the urge to laugh out loud. True, she wasn't entirely truthful with herself, but then again, she never tried to be her own best friend. She walked over to the edge of the balcony and leaned her back against it. "Is that so? How exactly am I a bad friend to Ginny? Pray tell because I am dying to know how you got that information considering you haven't seen her in years."

Draco walked towards her, his mind still putting those pieces together. Something was gonna click soon. He was sure of it. "You said Ginny and Harry went out on a few dates, but here you are, calling him. You leave things at his place and he sends you notes finished 'Love Harry'. She's supposed to be your friend and you're here stealing her man, not to mention, supposedly 'dating' the ex-love of her life. That's awful Ryan."

Ryan didn't know whether to laugh at him or curse him. He was seriously confused and she was going to have to clear a few things up for him if they were going to be able to accomplish anything. "First of all Draco, I am not a bad friend. I may be busy a lot, but I am always there for one of my friends or my family if they need me. Don't even think about interrupting me because I am not even close to finished," she paused before continuing. "Ginny and Harry are not exclusive or dating and I am not dating Harry Potter. He is one of our closest friends. It is not at all uncommon for us to leave stuff there as we often go over there after a hard days work just to unwind. Both Ginny and I have left numerous things over there. We've both left a bra over there because the wires were uncomfortable and we took it off. And as for calling him, he is my boss and there is a lot of communication needed here, especially during this assignment. And since we're on the topic of the assignment, I can assure you that Ginny won't mind me dating you. She's a grown woman and knows the difference between pleasure and business."

"I miss her."

Whatever reaction Ryan was expecting, this was not it. Draco was looking off into the distance, his eyes unfocused. "I mean, I always missed her you know? There's never a day that goes by that I don't think of her and what we could have been. I'm always thinking about what I gave up and always questioning if it was worth it. Some days, it was. When I considered what my father had hinted at doing to my 'weakness' if he discovered her, I was glad to be rid of her. Then, when he was gone, I always questioned where we'd be right now and I could easily see us with a child or two. Waking up and making love, or just being able to glance at her across my table and see her reading The Daily Prophet," he paused and walked up to the edge of the balcony and leaned over it, facing the outside world. Ryan looked at him with intense eyes, but he didn't even look at her.

"And then you show up and sometimes, I swear it's her I'm watching. Sometimes it's the easy to see things that remind me of her. Like you having the same taste in clothes and perfume, or certain phrases you use, even after all these years. You could walk by and I'd catch a drift of her perfume and I'd turn expecting to see her. And then it's the unconscious things. The way you tilt your head when I say something you don't believe, the way your lips pout when you're angry, the smile that graces your lips when you seem to be content or having a trip down memory lane. It's like it all comes back to your mouth when it comes down to," he finished, looking at the mouth in question. He looked up and saw the desire and uncertainty in her eyes as he closed in for the kiss.

And what a kiss it was. He persuaded her lips to open and plundered her mouth as if he were a starving man. She tasted like innocence and sensuality, but since you couldn't bottle it up, he compared it to honey and caramel with a touch of peaches. There was a sense of first time and then there was just familiarity. She whimpered and snaked her arms up to his hair, then let one slide down to his neck and caressed his ear. Finally everything clicked and all came together. Slowly, he pulled away. She gave him a questioning glance.

"It's you," he stated, pulling back involuntarily. His eyes were filled with uncertainty and fear, the fearing of hope. "You're her. You're Ginny!"

A/N: I know…I'm so very evil…I just couldn't deal with it any longer. I mean anyone in love would be able to notice the similarities. I mean I know if I read the story I'd be yelling, "How dense can you get?" Anyway, this chapter goes out specially to Lisa. Please be kind and review…