Disclaimer: I give all credit to J.K Rowling, I own nothing and she, along with the publishers of this magnificent book own everything and the plot is the only thing remotely close to being mine! Maybe not even, I also want to give credit to all other authors whose stories I've had a chance to read!

And to the readers: (reviewers and non-reviewers) A BIG THANKS!

Drew, Allison, bananaboo, DingoesAteMyBaby, ModMaude, little-angel123452000. Thanks for your incessant reading and support! And if you have time, please review.

WICKED

The rest of Saturday was spent with Harry at Diagon Alley. They both found gifts for the baby and met up with Hermione and Ron later on to compare gifts and talk about the baby and plans for another get together. All in all, Ginny loved Saturday; she just hoped that she wasn't too obvious in how she was acting. She still wasn't prepared for Hermione to know her feelings; she needed to adjust to it herself, let alone everyone else.

She'd tell her eventually, but for now, it would be her little secret.

A week passed by with no word of Ryan West, except for one letter he had sent with his owl that said what a lovely time he had had at dinner. He also inquired at how the article was going and that if she needed any more information to not hesitate to owl him. That made Ginny smile for it was a nice gesture. She kept that in mind and placed the letter on her table, in hopes of viewing it again.

Correspondence with Harry on the other hand was frequent. She enjoyed the cute little notes that he sends her and the messages they exchange. Poor Hedwig and Willow—bless them—flying back and forth to entertain the amusements of their respective owners. Ginny was still reserved at her presumptions on Harry. Sure he was showing signs of friendship, but was it in vain to read too much into it. She was still confused about the whole thing. It had been more than a month since the reunion at The Burrow, and she was still confused. As a result, she just resolved herself to what she has been doing at moments like these; she would just take the events to stride, she would not worry about it and keep focusing at the matters before her.


Ginny sat writing on her desk that Friday afternoon trying to finish a draft that she had said she would revise for one of the writers. If her mother could see the state of her office, she would have a conniption. Papers were strewn all over her desk and on the floor, layout stencils and drawings hanging from anywhere it could be hung. And she looked, well, Ginny looked to reflect the mess that was her office. Everyone was frazzled by this upcoming issue, it was more anticipated that anyone could have expected, and witches and wizards involved in it was hurrying to try and get this done. Absent mindedly, Ginny used her pen to scratch her chin, a flutter of something gold caught her eye and she looked up, but before she could see where it had come from, Devon rushed into her office and shut the door behind her.

"Wha—?" Ginny asked her friend bewildered.

"You will not believe who just arrived." Devon said looking shocked.

"Who?" Ginny responded, mildly curious now.

"Cameron Bray." Her friend say wide eyed.

"What?"

"Yes, she went straight into Matilda's office, like she owned the place." A face of dislike swept over Devon's features as she waited for her friend to respond.

"I wonder what she could be doing here?" Ginny wondered. They get a lot of famous witches and wizards that pass by through the magazine every month, but lately, because of the specificity of their recent issue, they were getting mostly Quidditch male players and the like. It was very odd that Cameron Bray, out of all people would drop by. Unless of course it something to do with Ryan West.

"I don't know, I just don't like her." Devon said, leaning back onto the chair opposite her friend.

Ginny smiled inwardly at her friend's outward dislike towards the famous celebrity in her Editors office. She mused at how Devon is easily miffed and how one small thing could make anyone disagreeable in Devon's eyes.

"Well, we'll hear from her soon enough, you know Matilda can'thelp introducing celebrities to everyone in the office." Ginny said as a knock on her door was heard. Both Ginny and Devon looked at each other, knowing it could only be one person.

With hesitation and one last look or irritation from Devon, Ginny said,

"Come in"

Just as they expected, predictable Matilda had in tow Cameron Bray at Ginny's door way.

Both Ginny and Devon stood up to welcome the likely guest. Ginny came from behind her desk and walked towards the pair while Devon stood in what could only be described as aDIVA-ish manner.

"Ah! Two of my best!" Matilda trilled. "Girls, Id like you to meet Cameron Bray. She just wanted to see for her self the fine workings of the magazine after she had heard from Ryan how lovely it was."

Ginny saw Devon raise her eyebrows.

"Cameron, may I introduce to you Devon Grier, our Accessories Director--" Ginny saw Cameron give Devon the slightest of nods as she pursed her lips. "—and Ginny Weasley, our Junior Editor." Ginny could not have mistakened the out right once over that Cameron Bray gave her at the mention of her name. Cameron was looking at Ginny as if she was taking her all in, leveling her up, if you will. Ginny took notice that Cameron was in a light gold blouse that shone in the light and a very stylish angled satin skirt to match. Her hair was in an immaculate condition and she smelled of something potent. Ginny could see why people envied the tall figure before her, she was gorgeous. Her skin was flawless and, there were no buts about it, she was sexy. It all of a sudden dawned on her the state of her appearance. Her hair was all over the place, she must have been flushed from all the work and her clothes must have been wrinkled from the amount of time it had spent glued to her chair. But as Ginny's head swam with thoughts of how messy she must look compared to Ms. Bray, her reverie was interrupted by hers truly.

"Pleasure." She said with a fake smile that could've rivaled that of the smile Devon gave her in return.

"Hello, nice to meet you Ms Bray." Ginny said trying to get the greetings flowing.

"So you're Ginny Weasley." Cameron said, not taking her eyes off of Ginny.

Ginny nodded, mildly interested at the statement.

"I've heard many things about you." She said with an air of haughtiness, covered slightly by false niceties.

"Oh?" Ginny answered back.

"From Ryan of course." Cameron replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Ah, I see." Ginny tried to calm the flush that was bursting to creep up.

"Why of course" Devon said, Ginny noting, the spark in her friend's eyes, "She and Ryan had a blast working at the article, didn't you Gin?" Devon finished with a sly smile.

"Why, yes, it was very fun." Ginny said surprised at her friend's statement. Ginny saw Cameron flash a look of annoyance, but before anyone could see it, it was gone and her usual smiling face was to be seen.

"Well, is that the time?" Cameron said looking at Ginny's clock. "I must take my leave Matilda, I have a pressing dinner date to attend to." She said turning to Matilda. "It was nice catching up with you."

"Why of course, dahling, anytime." Matilda said adoringly.

"It was nice meeting you ladies. I expect we'll be seeing you again very soon." Cameron said turning to Ginny and Devon.

"Like wise" Devon said smiling from ear to ear.

Ginny took notice of her friend's change of demeanor and had a feeling that something was coming. "Yes, very nice to meet you."

"Let me walk you to the lift." said Matilda.

And with a last look at Ginny and another flash of fake smile directed to both her and Devon, Cameron Bray sashayed to the lift.

As expected, Devon quickly shut the door behind the disappearing pair and let out a mirth of laughter.

"Devon! What has gotten into you?" Ginny asked her friend, returning to her desk.

Devon shook her head. "HOhohohoho, well, first of all, I thought 'Who is she to come in here and act like she owned the bloody place!' and then—and please, correct me if I'm mistaken—but, did I see her giving you the once over?"

"Yes, that. I saw." Ginny answered back.

"Well, that my friend, was the give away." Devon said a matter-of-factly.

"What are you talking about?" Ginny asked completely drawing a blank at Devon's statements.

"You told me that she and Ryan West weren't dating."

"They aren't, according to Ryan, that is." Ginny shrugged, still completely clueless at what Devon was implying

"Well, I believe him." Said Devon. "I mean, who wouldn't?"

"Remember when she said she heard of you from Ryan?" Devon asked sitting herself down at the chair opposite the desk, eager.

"Yeah, so? Ryan probably told her about it."

"OR, she could've heard from others that Ryan had taken a liking to you, or heck, he might've heard from Ryan himself, that he had taken a liking to you, and came here to see for herself what her competition was. This then, would explain her once over towards you, while ignoring Matilda and I. This is also why she probably said that she heard of you from Ryan—she wanted to see how you would react to it. That's why I said that bit of you and him having a blast at working together. Did you see her face when I said that? It was bloody priceless. That showed her. Who does she think she is coming over here and sizing up my best mate? Don't worry Gin, she aint got nothing on you."

Ginny blinked. "Can you say detective? Devon, you got all of that in the five minutes she was here?" She asked astounded.

"Yes." She said wide eyed.

"Well, if you are correct in your assumptions, and that's a big 'if', I doubt I presented much of being a worthy competition today. I mean, look at me, I'm a mess. And even if she did hear about me through Ryan, it only says that they are talking, which friends do." Ginny said as she tried to not let what Devon said go to her head.

"Yes, but, I still say she came here to see you for the pure purpose that she had gotten word that Ryan fancied you and you are now stiff competition."

Ginny smiled at her friends endless faith in her, "Well, I wouldn't know about stiff."

The girls shared a laugh.

"I'm just wondering about what she meant by seeing us again soon." Devon looked to a spot in Ginny's wall, a feat she usually did when her brain was working at something.

"It's not like we hang around the same circles you know." She continued. "She had to have an ulterior motive"

"Hmmm—you're right. Whatever it is, it's going to have to wait. We have an issue to finish." She said with a smile.

And at that, the girls went back to what's pressing and made plans to have a drink after work to continue speculation on what the supercilious figure could have meant.


Ginny apparated in her flat just after 11 pm that Friday night. She had a great time with Devon and a few other girls from her work at the pub. They celebrated the final completion of the issue, all was left was the technical stuff of putting it together. All night, they talked about boys and gossip that was making its round in the Wizarding world; it was just like being in Hogwarts again, hanging out with her mates. Although she and Devon couldn't talk openly about a certain witch, she did make it into the conversation a few times, brought up by her office mates, which made a few things clear.

"Can you believe Cameron Bray!" said Satine from layout

Devon, looking inquisitive said,"What do you mean?"

"Well, I heard that she came to see Matilda about Ryan West! You know that West's parents and Matilda are very close. They go way back."

"Oh?" The table murmured

"Yes, so when Ryan and Cameron were rumored to be dating because they were spending so much time together, Matilda liked Cameron instantly and they became confidantes." She said as she took a sip of her Flaming Ice drink.

"I heard from my friend that works with Cameron that Ryan has been avoiding all of Cameron's attempt at being in touch because he's not happy with all the of the false publicity that she's been giving the press about them being a couple. So he thinks that as long as he keeps this up, he can foil Cameron's attempt at posing them as a couple."

The table full of girls was glued to what Satine had to say.

"I wouldn't blame him! I heard she was a real pain. Merlin knows why Matilda came to like her. I read that she's a fierce goal getter. If she wants something, she'll get it, it doesn't matter who or what she hurts along the way to get it. She's broken so many relationships in the past because of schemes to get the wizards she currently has her eyes on at the moment. And when she gets bored, she goes and finds another one." Said Randy

"Bloody Hell, it's like a game isn't it, a bloody scheming game?" Sarah exclaimed.

"So what does all of this have to do with Matilda?" A question Ginny was itching to ask, thank Merlin that Jane did instead. She didn't want to seem too interest at the West-Bray pairing, for once, the attention wasn't on her.

Satine paused again to take a sip of her drink and continued.

"Well, remember how I said that Matilda immediately took a liking to the wench?—pardon my English ladies—"

The table of witches broke into gurgles of laughter

"—well," she continued, "Matilda would do anything for those people she takes a liking to wouldn't she? A witch in her position is a good friend to have, however high up in the food chain you already are." Satine said as a matter-of-factly.

"So, you're saying, she came today to ask Matilda for a favour?" Asked Randy

"Definitely." Satine answered nodding. "Probably asked her to help her get back to Ryan's good side."

"But, a witch in her position would not be so upfront surely?" Ginny finally said in addition to the conversation so as to not look like she was just listening.

"Oh, but that's exactly what she could do." Devon answered "It's the least expected you see. She's wicked like that. Who knows what plan she just put in motion by talking to Matilda today."

This was a very agreeable explanation that was shared by the girls.

"And Matilda, being the person that she is, bless her, I mean she can get a bit nosy at times, but she is a very trustworthy person, Cameron Bray can tell Matilda her deepest darkest secrets and Matilda will take it to the grave." Piped up Jane.

So it was agreed upon and noticed by others that Cameron Bray was up to something. Ginny couldn't shake the feeling that crept up during the conversation, that somehow, someway, she will be involved. She kept thinking about the look that Cameron Bray gave her earlier that day that said something, although unspoken, that Ginny Weasley will somehow play a part in this wicked story of a game.

She was resolved that something was brewing, she could feel it.

Ginny changed into her night robes and made herself a cup of tea and made her way to bed. Willow was at her cage having a drink, probably taking a break from hunting. Ginny set her cup down and petted her owl on the head.

"Well hello there." She said softly to the owl.

"HOOOT!"

Ginny let out a giggle and shook her head at her excitable owl. Her mind went back to the conversations that was had that evening and the events preceding that. And like the breeze that moved the skies, a feeling of discontent swept over her.

She furrowed her eyebrows and she felt a defiant demeanor creep up in the back of her neck. She didn't grow up with six brothers and not develop a penchant for fighting back when she was schemed on, whether this one was imagined or not, after all, it is still all speculation, she wasn't going to take this sitting down. She is a Weasley after all, no—she was definitely not going to take this sitting down.

"HOOOOOT"

"All right then Ms. Bray. Bring it on."