HP is not mine – WB and JK own it….as you all know

I am sooooo sooooo sorry I took so long. I hope I still have some of my readers! I wouldn't be at all surprised if you have given up on me. I was looking through the reviews and someone said that Ginvera makes her think of the colour red, while Virginia – you think white. So I have decided to change her name - I know I called her Virginia in the earlier chappies, but I will go back and change that In due course. Sorry if I confuse anyone. Well anyway – without further ado I present to you….

Chapter 5 - Maloestra

"Arthur dear, would you mind awfully taking that tray up to Ginny? There's a good chap," Molly Weasley asked her husband, gesturing to a large tray containing a plate piled high with toast, little pots of butter and jam and a large mug of tea. She was standing behind a large pile of laundry, desperately to remain in control of the iron that had been charmed to press the clothes, while at the same time tidy up the kitchen after breakfast.

Arthur smiled at his harassed looking wife. "Of course I can dear," he chirped, and then with a thoughtful look continued, "Is Gin-Gin ok? She has seemed a tad odd recently. And I don't recall seeing her all that much."

Molly sighed at her husbands slowness in twigging that indeed all was not well with their youngest child. "Arthur, you haven't seen her all that much because she hasn't emerged from her room for nearly a week. The poor girl, I think herself and Harry broke up. She came home from his birthday celebrations in quite a state."

"Ginny and Harry were going out were they?" Arthur said, a highly surprised expression on his face.

"Really Arthur," Molly despaired, "you ought to pay more attention to the antics of your children!" Her expression then softened as she observed her husbands face going bright red in embarrassment. "Well, never mind. I think I would worry if you all-of-a-sudden became observant. Why change the habit of a lifetime."

Arthur just nodded and picked up the try destined for Ginny. He was just about to leave the kitchen and head for the staircase when Molly came bustling over to him and popped a large purple envelope on the tray and murmured something about how a large eagle owl had delivered it this morning. He looked down at it. It had a crest that depicted a beautiful owl sitting on top of an egg which it seemed to be loving incubating. The owl was surrounded with flowers and leave. Arthur recognised it as the crest of Maloestra Wizarding University and felt a surge of pride as he remember the brilliant scholarship that his daughter had achieved. When he reached her bedroom he levitated the tray next to him and knocked softly. He heard a muffled sound that had vaguely sounded like "come in" and entered her bedroom. He found Ginny completely cocooned in her duvet, and only the top of her head was visible. He chuckled to himself and perched on the edge of her bed and directed the tray to float neatly over to the bedside table. He gently stroked the top of Ginny's head. She lowered the covers and smiled at her father. She looked pale and gaunt.

"Gin, love, what is going on? Tell your old dad."

She hesitated for a moment, and then seemed to come to a conclusion in her head and suddenly, almost like a dam had burst, the whole story came spilling out, although it was censored for parents, meaning she left out the fact that she actually had sex with Harry. When she had finished she was sobbing and Arthur was holding his daughter in a tight hug, just like he had done when she had been a small child and had been upset about a bad dream.

"Did you love Harry Gins?"

"I don't know dad. I thought I would. I mean everyone had always told me that we are meant for each other, what with him being Ron's best friend, and already practically a member of the family. I guess I always thought that they were right and that I would fall in love with him and him with me, and that would be it! Life sorted!"

"so why are you so upset Ginny?"

"Because I never made a contingency plan. I never thought that that WOULDN'T happen. And now it is as if my whole life had been turned upside down. It sounds so bloody stupid, doesn't it daddy? I mean we only went out for a matter of weeks!"

"Not at all Gin, it doesn't sound stupid. But you really ought to think of it as your life has just opened up, not ended!" When Ginny looked at him with a confused expression, Arthur wracked his brains for a way of explaining what he meant, "Well, look at it this way. You had your whole life planned, didn't you? You had all your kids named didn't you? I bet you even had yours and Harry's wedding planned and invites all mentally written and sent, am I right?" Ginny just nodded, her mouth slightly open, amazed at her dads perceptiveness. Encourage by her reaction, Arthur plough on, "Well Ginny, you cant live for a life that hasn't happened yet. By doing that you are not living for today! And today is all that you can be sure is real. Worry about today and tomorrow will sort itself out. Besides, you are going to university in a matter of weeks, and I am sure you will have a whole string of boys queuing up to take you out. Harry, or at least fantasying about Harry would just cramp your style."

She started to laugh, and then Arthur joined in. The next thing they knew they were each crying from their laughter. Ginny felt happy for the first time since Harry's birthday. She felt that the cloud of despair had lifted and for the first time in a long while felt free. Free to be excited about not knowing what life would bring. And she was excited, and it was all thanks to her dad. She threw her arms around him and planted a kiss on the bald patch that he had thanks to a receding hairline.

"Thank you daddy. I love you." And with that he walked out of her room, feeling an immense sense of self pride. He danced down the corridor towards the stairs singing to himself, "I am wise and I am great, I am the great sage of relationships. Oh oh oh oh."

Back in Ginny's room, while stuffing a slice of toast smothered in strawberry jam into her mouth, Ginny picked up the large purple envelope. Inside it contained all the information she needed regarding her degree course and accommodation and information about what the scholarship included. There was a huge book list and a complicated timetable, and attached was what looked like a muggle credit card (she had been fascinated by Posies dad's visa – and the fact that you could buy things and not have to hand over any money). A letter explained that the card was for use in wizard book shops and stationary stores, and was for her own personal use to purchase materials for use in her course, and the bill would be sent to the Ministry Scholarship Fund. Among the many bits of parchments, she found a neat hand written note which said.

Dear Miss Weasley

I would once again like to congratulate you on achieving much marvellous grades at NEWT standard. I would also like to extend the warmest welcome to you as the newest student on the "Advanced Potions" course. I am sure you will find studying this subject both rewarding and challenging. I am writing to you to provide you with some information as to what your course involves. You will attend lectures along side the students who are studying for a degree in "Standard Potions". These take place on Mondays and Tuesday mornings. The rest of you time will be spent carrying out field work, sourcing rare ingredients and working in the laboratory brewing well known potions as well as investigating and creating new ones, which you will then test. When we last met I informed you that you are the only student that has been accepted onto this 3 year long course. However, you are to be working closely with another student in the year above you, who is the only other student to be studying this course. It is hoped that this union will enable you both to study a more diverse range of potions.

I would like to meet you for an informal chat, which will allow me to get you fully acquainted with the potions staff and faculty. I hope that you will be able to attend our meeting on the 10th August at 10am. Please let me know of your intentions, and should you be able to attend kindly Floo to "Professor Shoreditch's office, Maloestra University, Intel Agent Alley". I will also show you to your accommodations, which are ready for you to move into anytime between now and the start of term, which will commence on 1st September.

I look forward to meeting you once again

Kind Regards

Prof. Lyn Shoreditch

Ginny quickly scribbled a note that said she would be attending the meeting and ran downstairs to kind Errol. She located him fast asleep under a pile of her mothers knitting. After much cagouling, the aged owl finally took off with the note safely attached to its legs.

Ginny was so excited at the prospect of meeting her new mentor and finally seeing Maloestra, that the days seemed to pass with immense slowness. Each day felt like a week, and even though she had to wait a mere three days, it felt like a lifetime. Finally it came, and Ginny was waiting patiently by he fire at 9.45am. She threw a quick glance at herself in the mirror above the fireplace and was happy with her appearance. She wore muggle clothes (it was generally a well known fact that students at Maloestra never wore wizard robes, unless having a meeting with the Dean or going to a graduation) which consisted of wide-legged black cotton trousers, a white blouse with a pink scarf tied loosely about her neck with a pair of flat shoes of the same pink colour (thanks to Ben who had shown her a handy little accessorising charm). Her hair was pulled back into a knot and she carried a black leather satchel. The overall affect was that of seriousness but not stuffy. Taking a deep breath she shuffled forward, willing away her nerves, and threw a handful of Floo powder into the fire and read out her destination.

""Professor Shoreditch's office, Maloestra University, Intel Agent Alley."

On walking out of the fire at the other end she was immediately greeted with an Enthusiastic handshake. Once Ginny had got her bearings, her eyes focused on Professor Shoreditch. The tall dark blond witch was today wearing a floaty black gypsy skirt and a green t-shirt with the slogan "Got Rid of the Kids, the Cat Was Allergic". She was decidedly much less formal than she had been at Hogwarts.

"Welcome, Ginevra, welcome. I hope you have been having a nice summer. Would you care for a cuppa?" she gestured towards a large pot of tea that was brewing.

"That would be lovely, thank you Professor Shoreditch," Ginny replied, in her politest sounding voice.

"Blarrrrrgggg," Prof Shoreditch made a strange sound and stuck her tongue out, "Call me Lyn. There is no need to be so formal now that you are an adult. Besides, I think that, seeing as how we will be working together for the foreseeable future I think a first name basis will be much more economical when it comes to breathing, don't you agree Ginevra?"

"Er…..yes. I do Profes……er.. Lyn. And please, call me Ginny. Ginevra is such a mouthful."

Lyn chuckled softly and busied herself in preparing the tea. This gave Ginny time to glance around at the office. It was nothing like you would imagine the head of the Potions faculty to be like. It was bright and airy and filled with so many plants it resembled a jungle. The walls were painted in bright colours, one being a vibrant purple, another dark red. The room was an odd shape. There was three straight walls in what would be part of a square, but the fourth wall was not straight, but a semi-circle. There was a huge curved window on this wall and in the curve sat comfortable chairs and a coffee table, on which stood piles of books and parchments. Lyn was seated at one of the chairs and gestured for Ginny to take a seat opposite her. Ginny loved this office. It resembled the randomness of the burrow, and was so warm and friendly that it had the effect of putting the visitor immediately at ease.

The two women chatted for a while, about potions and what life was like as a student and about Ginny's ambitions in life. After they had both finished their tea Lyn handed Ginny a large folder.

"This contains your timetable for the next term. Information about your assignments and assessments. It also contains a list of potions that you are expected to be able to talk about and brew from heart by the end of this first term. There is also your book list, and recommendations for equipment. And while I remember, I would recommend that you invest in some muggle notebooks and a muggle biro. It is not on the list because the university would frown at staff recommending muggle artefacts to students, but in my experience, the muggle stationary is so much more efficient than the wizard equivalent. No messing around with ink bottles and the like," Lyn screwed up her face and threw a dark look at the beautiful orange quill sitting on her desk. "What else is in that folder? Um…..on yes…it contains information about life here at Maloestra, as well as a guide to all new students and an itinerary of all the freshers events that are being held at the student union – a place which I am sure you will become very familiar with. It is called the Lung and Pivot and it is located at the end of Intel Gent Alley. Just follow the noise of rampaging students. That folder also has all the info you will need regarding your new accommodation. You will be in Eruditio House. This is one of the smaller halls. It is located right next to the main halls of residence, which is Bardus Hall. If I am correct, I think you have family in Bardus don't you?"

"Yes, my brother Ron is there. I have seen it. It's very nice."

"Well if you liked Bardus you will love Eruditio. It is much nicer. The rooms are larger and are en suit and have a balcony, as well as a private little room for study just off from your bedroom. There are three rooms to each lounge and Kitchen, and you get a maid service every week to clean the communal areas, but they wont go into your bedroom."

"WOW! Sounds amazing."

"Yes. Normally scholarship students don't get places in Eruditio, because they are so much more expensive than Bardus, but you the scholarship you received is so prestigious that they made an exception. And the other two people in the flat are also Potions students, so that will work out nicely for when you study. Speaking of other students, why don't we take a tour and I will introduce you to the other student on your course."

It took a full two hours for Lyn to show Ginny around the whole of the University, but she left no stone unturned. She pointed out where the communal study areas were, where the library was, canteen, coffee shop, bookshop, halls of residence were as well as the infamous Lung and Pivot. The tour ended with a look at the potions section. The large lecture theatre where Ginny would tend lectures with the rest of the potions students, the large lab where they worked and the store cupboard.

"And this," Lyn gestured towards a door at the end of the corridor, "is the advanced Potions laboratory. This is where you will do all your experiments and brewing. You will have your own cauldron, and basic store cupboard, as well as your own work surface and equipment. You also have access to the advanced ingredients and books, which is kept locked at all times."

They had reached the door. Lyn opened it and popped her head to look into the lab. She remerged with a broad grin.

"Well, I am pleased to say that your fellow student is in there, busy as always, bless his little cotton socks. Come on dear, lets go meet him." And with that she threw open the door.

Ginny walked into the lab slowly, absolutely amazed. It was huge. With massive expanses of clean chrome surfaces. At one end of the room were loads of strange looking contraptions, all of which Ginny assumed had a specific use in the field of potion brewing. The caldrons were modern, with clean lines and attached to a furnace with a complicated looking thermostat on it. Ginny practically had an orgasm at the thought that she would be able to play with this equipment very soon.

Suddenly there was a large BOOM and a cloud of dark blue smoke came billowing from a cauldron in the corner, completely engulfing the top half of the person who had been standing next to it. This person started to cough loudly and Ginny could hear him swearing loudly.

"Fuck a duck! What the bloody hell happened there! Fuck fuckety fuck fuck!..." he was shouting in a loud voice.

Lyn had rushed over to the disaster scene and jumped onto the work surface, and pressed a button in the ceiling, which caused an extractor fan to wurrr into life. It sounded very much like a muggle one, but it was so amazingly efficient (it cleared the fumes within seconds) that was obviously magically enhanced.

Once the smoke cleared Ginny was able to get a good look at the man, who was obviously her future study buddy, as he was the only other person in the room. He was tall, probably about 6 foot 3 or 4 judging by the height difference between himself and Lyn. Her was also well built, but not overly bulky. He was wearing muggle clothes but even Ginny, with her inexperience eye, could tell that they were very expensive and of the best quality. She then noticed his tousled hair, which was still covered in bits of blue blobs of goop. But underneath the blue was a shock of bright blond locks. Ginny was trying to think of where she had seen someone with hair that blond before. Suddenly she remembered……but it couldn't be…could it? NO surely she wasn't in the presence of…

"Ginny, I would like to introduce you to your new partner in crime, Draco Malfoy."

End of Chapter! HA HA HA NOT – would I do that to you? End it just as the sex god himself had come into the story? NO I AM NOT THAT MEAN! You have waited a whole 5 chapters for him, so I think it is only right for me to give you a fix of draco goodness! Purely coz I love you guys…and dracie!

Draco Malfoy turned around quickly at the mention of the name Weasley. He did however manage to maintain an air of indifference and stuck his hand out casually towards Ginny.

"Nice to meet you Miss Weasley," he said, straining to sound as polite as possible. Ginny managed to overcome her shock, just enough to force her hand to place itself in Dracos in greeting.

Lyn, whose attention hand been focused towards the disaster zone that had previously been Malfoys work situation, turned back to her two students. "Right, I have to go for a luncheon meeting with the other professors in the potions department, and I am already late," she exclaimed after shooting a quick look at the clock on the wall, "so can I leave you Draco to show Ginny around the lab, and then take her to Eruditio House, so that she can see her flat. Madame Walsh will let you know what flat she is in and give her the keys." With that she started walking towards the small, modern looking fireplace in the corner of the lab. Just as she was about the throw some floo powder into the flames she had conjured, she turned, "and tidy that mess up Draco, and think about what went wrong with it. Cheery-Oh peeps." and she was suddenly gone with a flourish.

Ginny's mind was racing. She couldn't believe that Malfoy was on her course. Not only on her course, the only other student on her course. A student who she was expected to work. How on earth can she work with that bastard. He had been so insufferable to her and her family and friends at school. Even not seeing him for a whole year hadn't done anything to dampen the memory of what a nasty little shit he could be. She suddenly became acutely aware of Malfoys hard stare boring into the back of her head. She whipped around and found him leaning casually on the work surface behind him, his hands in his pocket and a smirk on his face. The blue crap had disappeared from his hair and clothes, and he now looked immaculate, hair with a windswept style, which Ginny couldn't help but think was very sexy indeed.

"So, I am expected to have to put with the youngest weasel for the next 2 years am I? I cant believe my fucking luck. Well I suppose as long as you don't get in my way or expect me to help you with anything you don't understand, I will survive….at a push." And with that he pushed himself off the bench with a quick swish of his hips and walked over to where his cauldron was lying pathetically on the floor with blue bits hanging out of it.

"Shut up Ferret Face," Ginny sneered, incensed at what he had just said to her, "as if I would give you the satisfaction of helping me with anything. Besides by the look of it, it isn't me who needs help with Potions." she swept her gaze over the mess he was getting ready to clear up as he rolled the sleeves up on his shirt. She found herself unwittingly admiring his manly looking arms. He had certainly changed a lot from being the scrawny looking teenager she remembered him as….he had certainly become a man since leaving university. But maybe that is what losing both your parents will do. Everyone in the wizarding world had heard the story that had dominated the Wizarding Media just 8 months ago. Apparently, Lucius Malfoy had been given an assignment to carryout for Voldemort, but had failed somehow. In a rage Voldemort had killed Narcissa Malfoy, slowly and painfully in front of Lucius. As much as Lucius likes to give off the air that he is a hard nut with no emotions at all, he had been very much in love with his wife, and had been grief stricken. So much so that on his next mission for his boss, he had become very complacent and managed to get himself killed by Aurors. VERY un-Malfoy like, but that is what grief will do. The stories had been all over the daily prophet, with many versions of the story. But, whatever version was the correct on, the point was the Draco had lost his parents, even if they had been death eaters.

Finding herself thinking of Voldemort and Death Eaters, she found her gaze drift over to Malfoy's left forearm. He must have sensed her gaze because he turned around and, as quick as a flash, jumped to his feet and shoved his forearms up to her face.

"Take a good look WEASEL, no dark mark….YET." He then lowered his arms slowly, looking slightly embarrassed.

Ginny, feeling awkward and just a little bit guilty tried to think of something to say that would change the subject. "So, what were you brewing before…..before it went a little wrong?" she enquired, trying desperately to sound friendly. If she was going to be stuck with hi, might as well make a little effort to be civil.

"It was a strengthening potion. They are surprisingly tricky. You wouldn't know about them yet I suppose." He scratched his head in confusion saying, almost to himself, "I don't know what went wrong. I had just added the Nargel's tail, and BOOM….i don't understand."

Before she could stop herself she blurted out, "I bet you didn't removed the Nargels fur."

"Excuse me?" Malfoy asked, with a look of poison, "Why, pray tell me, would I remove the fur? It says add a Nargels tail, and the fur is part of the Nargels tail is it not?" He was becoming increasingly irate and sarcastic.

"Well, as far as I am aware, when a potion involves a Nargels tail, it means just the core of the tail. By adding the fur, it tips the equilibrium of the potion over the edge, what with the large surface area to volume ratio when it is first added to the other ingredients. This just makes the reaction go crazy and causes…well it causes abit of a catastrophe….as you have experienced. But please don't listen to me….according to you I don't know anything about this type of potion." She finished with a sickeningly sweet smile. Malfoys expression was priceless and Ginny wished she could take a photo of it. He was so obviously extremely impressed and surprised but was trying with all his might to hid that and plaster a sneer on his face. This battle of expressions was causing a very odd reaction in his facial muscles. A satisfied feeling of immense smugness washed over her, and she was itching to irritate him further. But she was loath to push her luck, she was alone in a strange place with a boy who would not think anything of putting a hex on her. So Ginny kept her mouth shut and steeled herself for the mean and nasty comments that would no doubt be about to come spewing from Malfoys mouth.

"Fair play to you Weasley, you know your potions." Ginny gwapped at him in surprise. Had Malfoy swallowed his pride and paid her a compliment! Could it be that he really had changed in more ways than in appearance. With a quick flick of his wand he cleared up what was left of the mess. "I suppose we should continue with your grand tour."

Ginny managed to nod silently. As it turned out Malfoy was actually a very good tour guide. He gave her a full and comprehensive look around the Advanced Potions Lab. The store cupboard was actually a huge walk in wardrobe style thing with a massive cold store as well. And the books…..Ginny had never seen as comprehensive a library of potions books in her life. She was now gagging to get started on her course and begin brewing weird and wonderful potions.

"Right, I will show you to Eruditio House, you can see what flat you are in." and with that he took off in a brisk trot, leaving the lab and making his way purposefully out of the labyrinth of corridors and outside into the bright sunshine of Intel Agent Alley. He took a right and continued his fast pace.

"Eruditio is a well nice hall to live in. There are only 50 students or so living there. Compare that to Bardus Hall which had over 300! I live in Eruditio myself. It is lovely at the moment because most of the students have gone home for the summer, so I have my flat all to myself."

"I though YOU would have your own flat Malfoy, I am surprised you lowered yourself to share with others," Ginny said snidely. She felt awful as soon as the words had left her mouth but she couldn't change the habit of a lifetime and actually be nice to him.

"I did live in my own house. But I found living with other students more helpful in encouraging study." He then came to a halt in front of a modern looking building with large windows and balconies. There was a large sign announcing that they had reached Eruditio House

Draco stole a quick look at the small red head, who was standing next to him looking up at the sign at the front of Eruditio. He could not believe that he was to be stuck with a weasel for the next 2 years of his course. It was just his fucking luck. Well, nothing he could do about it. He was using every ounce of his will to be nice to her. He wanted to lull her into a false sense of security, then when she started he planned to make life a living hell for her. The stupid little know-it-all. She had been so smug about his potions disaster. He had really wanted to hex her into oblivion. But he had forced himself to complement her and knew full well that he had wrong footed her, but now the little bitch was skating on very thin ice, with her snide remarks. Well as soon as he showed her to her flat he could bugger off and leave her to sort herself out.

Putting on his nice tone he said, "come on, lets find Madame Walsh, she will know what flat you are going to be in," and took off towards the doors and whispered the password to the gargoyle on the door, which promptly swung open. He stood back and let Ginny go in first, and had to clench his buttocks in order to stop himself laughing at her expression of wonder that he could infact be a gentleman…..OH HOW HE WAS ENJOYING HIMSELF.

He walked up behind Ginny, who was standing at the reception desk and, having introduced herself, was waiting for Madame Walsh to find he file and give her her key. Madame Walsh was a middle aged witch with a broad Irish accent, She was in charge of Eruditio House and became like a surrogate mother to all her students. Everyone loved her and Draco was no exception.

"Ginevra Weasley," Madame Walsh muttered to herself, "right, you are going to be living in flat number 4, my dear. There you go, there is your key." She handed the little brass key to Ginny, "and I will let Draco give you the grand tour and tell you the rules, not that ye will take any heed, sure you won't." she chuckled to herself but stopped when she looked at Draco. "Jesus, Mary and Joseph Draco, what on earth's that matter darlin? You have gone as white as a ghost."

But Draco wouldn't take in a word the older witch was saying to him, all he could think of was the flat that Ginny had been placed in. Flat four. SHIT….Ginny was his new flat mate! Suddenly life looked grim. VERY grim indeed.

END END END OF CHAPPIE

MORE TO COME SOON PROMISE

In the next chapter you will finally see why the title of the story has the toga and tequila bit

xxx